GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 276
WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA KENTUCKY AND INDIANA
N0\1 ~5 1953
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, Secretary
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. E. Wrather, Director
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 276
WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA, KENTUCKY AND INDIANA
By M. I. Rorabaugh, F. F. Schrader, and L. B. Laird
Washington, D. C., 1953
Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C. PREFACE
This report is one of a series on the water resources Many persons and organizations contributed informa of selected industrial areas of national importance. tion used in this report. The authors wish to acknowl These reports are prepared in the Water Resources edge the courtesy and cooperation of the following Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, and provide agencies: Louisville Chamber of Commerce, Louis valuable information for national defense and for order ville and Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Com ly planning of municipal and industrial expansion. The mission; Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Water Utilization Section of the Technical Coordination Sewer District; Louisville Water Company; Louisville Branch provides technical guidance in the preparation Department of Works (city engineer); Indiana Gas and of these reports. This report was prepared under the Water Company; Louisville Extension Water District; direct supervision of the following persons: W. L. Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals; Kentucky Lamar, district chemist (Quality of \Vater); M. I. Geological Survey; Kentucky agricultural and Indus Rorabaugh, district engineer (Ground Water); and trial Development Board; Kentucky Flood Control and F. F. Schrader, district engineer (Surface Water). Water Usage Board; Kentucky Department of Highways; The authors express appreciation for the able assist Kentucky State Department of Health; U. S. Army, ance of E. A. Bell, (Ground \Vater), and L. E. Carreon, Corps of Engineers; and U. S. Department of Com (Surface Water), merce, Weather Bureau.
Many of the data summarized in the report were In addition, thanks are due many individuals, well collected by the Geological Survey in cooperation with drillers, and industries for furnishing information pertinent agencies of the city of Louisville, Ky.; from their files and for granting permission to the Jefferson County, Ky.; the Commonwealth of Kentucky; Geological Survey for the collection of field data at and the State of Indiana, Chemical examinations were their installations. made by the Geological Survey, except as otherwise indicated.
II CONTENTS
Page Page Summary••••••••..•••••••.•••••••••••.•••••••••••••..•••• 1 Ground water-continued Introduction••.••••••••••.•••.•••••••.•••••.•••••••••••••. Fluctuations of water levels-continued Description of area••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••.••• ~ Distillery area...... 31 Topography .••.•••••••••••••..••..••.•••••.•••••.•.••• Jeffersonville...... 31 Geology •••••.••••••..••..••••.••••••.•••••••••.••••.••• 2 Quality ,.;: ground water...... 34 Climate ••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••.•••••••• 2 \Vater from the limestones...... 34 Natural resources .••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••.. 2 Water from the sand and gravel...... 37 History•.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••••.•.••••••••.•• 2 Effects of river-water infiltration...... 37 Population••.••.•••.•••••••••••••••.•••.•••••••••••.•• 5 Variations in quality ...... •••••••••••••••••••••••• 37 Transportation••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••• 5 Temperature of ground water . •••••••••••••••••• 38 Industrial development •.•••.•••••••••••••••••••••• 5 Public water supplies...... 38 Datum planes •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•• 5 City of Louisville...... •• •••••••• •••.••••••• 38 Occurrence of water •••••••..•••••••••••.•••••••••••• 6 New Albany, Indiana . • • • • •• • ••• • • ••• • • • •• • • • . •• . • • • 40 Surface water •••••••••••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••. 7 Jeffersonville, Indiana...... 40 The Ohio River •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.• 7 Louisville extension water district...... •• 41 Navigation•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••. 7 Present use of water...... 41 Discharge •••••••••••••••••••••••.•.•.•.••••••••••.•. 8 Public supplies... . •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 41 Floods ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.••.•.••...••• 10 Private industrial use...... 43 Quality•••.••••••••••.•••••••••••••••.••••••••••••.. 13 Surface water...... ••••••••••••••••••••••••• 43 Small streams •••••.••••••••••••••••••••.••••••••••• 18 Ground water...... 43 Harrods Creek ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 18 Irrigation and rural supplies...... 43 Beargrass Creek•••••••••••••.•••••••••.•••••••• 19 Fluctuation of water use...... 45 Silver Creek •••••••••••••••.•••••••.•••••••••••••• 19 Summary of use...... 46 Floyds Fork•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 21 Potential supply...... •• •••• ••••••••• 46 Por:d Creek••••••••.•••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••. 21 Surface water...... 46 Ground water ...... 21 Ground water...... 47 Occurrence •••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••• 21 Water laws...... 47 Consolidated formations ••••••••••••••.•••••••. 22 Federal laws ••••••••••..••••••••••• ••••••o: •••••• •• 47 Ohio River valley alluvium ••••••••••••••••••••• 22 Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Recharge and ground-water movement .•••••. 28 Commission...... ~····· 47 Fluctuations of water levels ...... 28 Kentucky law...... 47 Downtown area of Louisville .•.•••.•••••••••• 29 Indiana law ••••••.••••••••••.••. ••••••••••••••••••••• 47 West-central area .••••••••••••••.••.••••••••••• 29 References...... 48 "Rubbertown" area...... 29
ILLUSTRATIONS
Page Plate 1. Map of the Louisville area, Kentucky and Indiana, showing the availability of ground water •• In pocket 2. Map of the Louisville area, Kentucky and Indiana, showing where hydrologic and geologic data have been collected...... ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••• In pocket Figure 1. Precipitation at Louisville...... 3 2. Climatological data for Louisville...... 4 3. Population growth - Louisville metropolitan area...... ,...... ••••. ••• • ...... •••• 5 4. Localized hydrologic cycle -Louisville metropolitan area •••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 6 5. Minimum daily and monthly discharge, Ohio River at Louisville, 1928-52...... 8 6. Duration curve of daily flows, Ohio River at Louisville, 1928-52 ••••••.•• ..,...... 9 7. Drought frequencies, Ohio River at Louisville, 1928-52...... •••••••...... 9 8. Maximum annual elevations of Ohio River at Louisville, 1832-1952 (only major floods prior to 1872)...... 10 9. Stage hydrographs of Ohio River at Louisville, 1937 and 1945 floods...... 11 10. Flood-stage frequencies, Ohio River at Louisville, 1832-1952...... 11 11. Water-surface profile of 1937 flood on the Ohio River at Louisville, mile 592 to mile 627 ..... 12 12. Frequency of floods by months, Ohio River at Louisville, 1875-1952...... 13 13. Location of flood walls and areas flooded in 1937...... 14 14. Cumulative frequency curve of hardness of Ohio River water at Louisville, 1950-52...... 15 III Figure 15. Temperatures of Ohio River water and of air at Louisville, 1946-52...... 15 16. Durati<:>n curve of daily flows, Harrods and Beargrass Creeks, 1944-52...... 18 17. Chemical character of waters from small streams in Louisville area...... ~...... 19 18. Duration curve of daily flow; Silver Creek, Floyds Fork, and Pond Creek, 1944-52...... 20 19. Longitudinal section of Ohio River valley at Louisville...... 24 20. Cross-sections of the Ohio River flood plain at Louisville...... 25 21. Cross-sections of the Ohio River flood plain southwest of Louisville...... 26 22. Map of alluvium in Louisville area showing water-level contours in December 1952.~...... 27 23. Artificial recharge in the Louisville area, 1944-52...... 29 24. Precipitation, river level, and water-table elevation in downtown Louisville, 1937-52...... 30 25. Pumpage, precipitation, and water-table elevation, in the west-central area of Louisville, 1943-52...... 31 26. Pumpage, precipitation, river level, and water-table elevation in the "Rubbertown" area, 1941-52...... 32 27. Pumpage, precipitation, and water-table elevation in the Distillery area of Louisville, 1937-52...... 33 28. Pumpage and water-table elevation at Jeffersonville public supply, 1943-52...... 34 29. Chemical character of selected ground waters of the Louisville area...... 34 30. Map of the Louisville area showing hardness of ground waters, 1952...... 36
31. Trends in hardness of ground water in the Louisville area ...... u ...... 38 32. Map of the Louisville area showing maximum and minimum temperatures of ground water, 1945-52...... •• ...... 39 33. Temperature characteristics of infiltrated river water (data from Ranney collector at Bells Lane)...... 40 34. Maximum and average of several constituents of the Louisville public water supply, 1952..... 40 35. Source and use of water from public supplies in Louisville metropolitan area, 1952 •• ,...... 41 36. Pumpage by Louisville Water Co., 1860-1952...... 42 37. Ground-water pumpage for municipal use, 1938-52...... 43 38. Ground-water pumpage in the Louisville metropolitan area, 1937-52...... 44 39. Distribution of ground-water pumpage in the Louisville area, 1952...... 45 40. Summary of water use in the Louisville metropolitan area, 1952 .• ····~···· .. ••·· ...... 46 41. Comparison of water use in 1952 with estim.ated potential supply...... 47
TABLES
Page Table 1. Chemical quality of surface waters in the Louisville area ...... 16 2. Water-bearing characteristics of typical formations ...... 22 3. Water-bearing properties of the principal formations in the Louisville area...... 23 4. Chemical quality of water from selected wells in the Louisville area ...... 35 5. Use of untreated river water for cooling purposes, 1944-52 ...... 43 6. Estimated average daily net withdrawals of ground water by industries in the Louisville metropolitan area, 1937-52 ...... 44 7. Summary of use of water in the Louis,rille metropolitan area, 1952 .•• ~ ...... 46 IV WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA, KENTUCKY AND INDIANA
By M. I. Rorabaugh, F. F. Schrader, and L. B. Laird
SUMMARY Major water problems include Ohio River floods, local flooding because of inadequate drainage, pollution The most imp9rtant sources of water in the area are of the Ohio River and local tributaries, and insufficient the Ohio River and wells. The quantity of water flow supplies of ground water in the industrial area. The ing in the_ Ohio River ranges from a minimum of 1, 360 highly polluted Ohio River is used as a source for mu mgd (million gallons per day) or 2, 100 cfs (cubic feet nicipal and industrial water and also for disposal of raw per second) to a maximum of 717,000 mgd (1, 110,000 sewage and industrial waste. Natural local drainage in cfs): the average flow is 75,000 mgd (116, 000 cfs). parts of the area is poor, and rapid expansion of indus Temperature of the river water ranges from 32°F to trial and residential areas have created serious prob about 85°F. Pollution and floods are major problems. lems of storm-water and sanitary drainage. Poor nat Ground-water sources have an estimated potential of ural drainage has adversely affected agricultural land about 450 mgd. This water is suitable for domestic adjacent to the city. and industrial use. Under present conditions, its tem perature varies only a few degrees above and below an Flood walls to provide protection from high waters average qf 58°F, but under conditions of full develop of the Ohio River are nearing completion at the present ment, the range would be much wider because most of time. Public agencies are actively engaged in seeking the water would be derived by induced infiltration from solutions to the other pressing problems of the area. the river. However, the temperature range would never be as wide as chat of the river water. DESCRIPTION OF AREA Present water use is only a small percentage of the available supply. Total surface-water use was 730 The metropolitan area considered in.this report in mgd in 1952, and total ground-water use in the same cludes Jefferson County in Kentucky, and parts of Clark yeat'\vas 35 mgd. Four public systems furnish 74.2 and Floyd Counties in Indiana. It includes the city of mgd of treated water to about 500, 000 persons, and to Louisville, Ky., and the cities of Jeffersonville, many industries. Domestic use was 18. 6 mgd and the Clarksville, and New Albany, Ind. industrial and commercial use was 746 mgd. The Louisville metropolitan area is near the center of the Ohio River drainage basin and is between the INTRODUCTION large population centers of the Midwest and those of the South. (See lo<;:ation sketch, pl. 1.) The purpose of this report is to summarize the a vailable information on water for the Louisville area; to present the information in a form suitable for use Topography in the initial planning of water supplies for both de fense and non-vital industries; and to assist in future The topography of the area is of three distinct types. development and use of the water resources of the The eastern one-third of Jefferson County is relatively area. Demands for water are increasing. Quantity rough; it is made up of broad ridges, which are dis generally is the most important consideration. How sected by Floyds Fork and its tributaries. Valleys with ever, water used in the manufacture of many products gentle slopes have been cut to depths of about 100 feet for example: alcohol, chemicals, and synthetic below the ridges. General elevation of this part of the rubber-must meet rigid conditions ofquality or tem area is 700 to 750 feet above mean sea level. perature. Chemical and temperature characteristics of the waters in the area are. described in this report. The second type of topography is extremely rough (designated as 11 Knobs 11 on pl. 1). There are two such The large quantity of water available in the Ohio areas; one is in Indiana southwest of New Albany, and River provides assurance that a local water shortage the other forms a triangular area south of Louisville. is unlikely. However, other sources may be more These knobs are remnants of an old plateau and rise economical for some uses. Small streams, wells, or abruptly 250 to 500 feet above the relatively level areas the public supplies may be the most economical source forming their base. In the Indiana area, Knob Creek if the quantity required is small or if the place of us and French Creek have down-cut to a depth of about 300 age is a considerable distance from the river. Water feet to form ridges, knobs, and very steep valley temperature and quality are other factors to be con slopes. The area south of Louisville is trenched by sidered when the most economical source is selected. Pond Creek at elevations of 420 to 450 feet above sea 2 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA
level. The tops of the knobs are at elevations of 700 The bedrock under the central part of Louisville and to 900 feet above sea level. Jeffersonville is limestone, and in New Albany, western Louisville, and southwest of Louisville, it is shale. The third topographic type has relatively flat relief and comprises the remainder of the area considered in The present Ohio River flows on abed of sand and the report. The area northeast of Jeffersonville and gravel along the northern and western edge of the old the area of central and northern Jefferson County valley. The river is controlled by navigation dams. (Muscatatuck re;;ional slope).slope gently from a gen Normal pool elevation above the dam at Louisville is eral elevation of 700 feet at the northeast to about 450 420 feet above sea level, and below the dam it is 383 feet at the southwest. A belt about 3 miles wide along feet (Ohio River datum). the Ohio River northeast of Louisville is deeply incised ~JY Harrods Creek and by other smaller tributaries to the Ohio Eiver. The draiaage area of Beargrass Creek Climate is gei1tly rolling. South of Louisville and north of the Knobs is an area of about 25 square miles, locally re Louisville's climate is continental in type. It is the ferred to as the ''wet woods.'' This area, a former result of two major influences: warm moisture-laden swamp, has been drained by a network of ditches, air masses moving up the Mississippi and Ohio valleys draining to the Ohio River through Pond Creek. The from the Gulf of Mexico, and artie air masses moving "wet woods" has very little relief and ranges from 450 into the area from the north and west. As a result, the to 475 feet above mean sea level. The Ohio River flood weather is quite changeable, and extreme conditions do plain is a 0elt along the Ohio River, ranging from a not prevail for long periods of time. Winters are mod width of aoout half a mile, northeast of Louisville, to erately cold and summers are warm,according to 79 a width of about 5 miles, southwest of the city. This years of record collected by the United States Weather area, which has a general elevation of 425 to 475 feet Bureau. Temperatures rarely exceed 100°F in summer above sea level, is gently rolling and is drained by and rarely fall below 0°F in winter; the mean annual small tributaries to the Ohio River. temperature is 57. 0°F. The frost-free period is from early April until late October.
Geology The average annual precipitation at Louisville is 42. 95 inches. Figure 1 shows annual precipitation The rocks underlying the Louisville area are lime since 1872 and monthly distribution of precipitation and stones, shales, and sandstones of Ordovician, Siluri snowfall. During spring and summer, thunderstorms an, Devonian, and Carboniferous (Mississippian) age. with high intensities of rainfall are common. The formations are fairly uniform in thickness throughout the area and have a gentle dip of about 40 Figure 2 presents data on maximum and mean wind feet to the mile toward the west and southwest. Ero velocity, percent of possible sunshine, temperatur~. sion of this sloping sequence of rocks has produced the and relative humidity. Relative humidity remains fairly topographic features described above. The oldest high throughout the summer. Cloud cover is about e rocks are exposed in eastern Jefferson County (lime qually distributed throughout the year with some in stone and shale of the Arnheim formation, Waynesville crease in the winte·r. Heavy fog is unusual, averaging limestone, Lib12rty formation, and Saluda limestone of about 10 days per year and occurring in the period Sep Ordovician age; and Brassfield limestone, Osgood for tember through March. mation, Laurel dolomite, and Waldron shale of Siluri an age). Erosion of this alternating series of shales Prevailing winds are from the south; monthly aver and limestones has produced the rough topography of ages range from 10 miles per hour in February, March, eastern Jefferson County. In contrast, the Muscata and April to about 7 miles per hour during the summer. tuck regional slope is underlain by massive, relative The strongest winds are usually associated with thun ly pure limestones (Louisville limestone of Silurian derstorm activity; the maximum wind velocity recorded age, and Jeffersonville limestone and Sellersburg (average velocity for the fastest mile) in 39 years is 68 limes tone of Middle Devonian age). Erosion of these miles per hour. hard formations have produced a relatively flat sur face. The Scottsburg Lowland is underlain by the eas ily eroded New Albany shale of Late Devonian age. Natural Resources The Knobs area is made up of formations of Mississip pian age (New Providence shale, Kenwood sandstone, Water is the most important natural resource of the Rosewood shale, Holtsclaw sandstone, and Warsaw area. It is used for public-water supply, cooling, man limestone). ufacturing, generation of hydro-electric and steam electric power, irrigation, recreation, waste disposal, In glacial times, the Ohio River cut a deep valley in and navigation. Other natural resources include the to the consolidated rocks (bedrock) and later filled this soils, limestones, shales, clays, and sand and gravel. valley with glacial outwash sands and gravels and river deposits. The valley is about 1~ miles wide northeast of Louisville. At Louisville, it widens to nearly 6 miles, then gradually narrows to about 1 ~ miles at the southwestern corner of Jefferson County. The deepest The first settlement was made on Corn Island in 1778 of several old channels passes under downtown Louis in connection with the expedition of General George ~rille and the Rubbertown area, and then it coincides Rogers Clark. In the same year, or early in 1779, the with the path of present river to the south. Elevation settlement was moved to the south bank of the Ohio of the valley floor in this channel is about 335 feet a River near Twelfth Street. The falls of the Ohio River bove mean sea level under Louisville, and it slopes to at Louisville was the only major obstruction to naviga about 325 feet at the southern limit of the county. tion between Pittsburgh and New Orleans, and all DESCRIPTION OF AREA 3
en 20 25C:~-r-,----,--.~-----.-.--r-,----~~ IIJ 79 -year record (J'j J: ~ ILl z0 -Maximum J: - 16 ~ ~ ~20~~~-4--+-~-+--~~-r~--~~ z ~ ~ z ~ 12 ~ ~ t= ~ ~ ~ ~ ....cr 0.. 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 """ IIJ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ a: "'"' -~ a. 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~v~~~,_'-~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ >- ····':1:·::::~ J: _J I~ ~ 1- ..... t-t ..... :::~ Minimum::·:· ~ .. ~ . J: ~'-""' z .... ~ ...... ]:'' ~ ...... ·;.,;.;.· ..... :: ~::{:lililil 0 ~ 0 ····· ~ 0 J F M A M ~ J J. A s 0 N 0
cn50~--~~~~~--~---4~N-~--+----+---~r--r---+~-4----~--~~±---~~~ IIJ J: 0 z .. z 0 t= ~301--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a. 0 ILl a: 0..201--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_J <( :l z z 101--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ cr
OL-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950
Figure 1. -Precipitation at Louisville. 4 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA
wso~~--r-~--~~--~~--.--,--,-~--~ z ::t: (/) z ~60~~--+-~--~~~-p~~~~~~---r~
LLI _J CD ~40F=~~~-4~~~~-P~~~~~~~~~ 0 0.
lL 0 ~20~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ z w a::0 LLI 0. M A Wind velocity- 79 -year reco·rd Sunshine -51-year record
J FM AM J J AS 0 N 0 Air temperature-79-year record Average relative humidity -64-year record
Figure 2. -climatological data for Louisville. DESCRIPTION OF AREA 5 river freight had to be unloaded and reloaded.· As the stone; several quarries are operated to provide road country west of the Allegheny Mountains was settled material and concrete aggregate; clay and shale provide by English from Virginia, followed by a large German material for the manufacturing of brick, tile, and build element, Louisville became an important river port. ing block. Sand and gravel are produced from pits and Construction of a canal and locks in 1830 greatly in hy dredging the river bed. The most important natural creased navigation on the Ohio River, and Louisville resource, water, has been developed extensively by in rapidly grew to take its place among the principal dustry. A large supply of even-temperatured ground cities of the country. water permitted development of distilleries and chemi cal plants and provided the coolant for air conditioning of many buildings in the doV{ntown area. Dairies, brew Population eries, meat packing plants, tobacco processing plants, food processing plants, metal working plants, and re The population of the tri-county metropolitan area in fineries also use large amounts of water. More than 1950 was about 580, 000. The gain during the period 700 manufacturing plants employ nearly 100,000 per 1940-50 was nearly 30 percent (fig. 3). The Louisville sons in Louisville. At New Alb.any, about 40 industries Chamber of Commerce expects that the population of produce furniture, prefabricated houses, clothing, met Jefferson County will be nearly 590,000 by 1960, and al products, chemical products, and other commodities. that the tri-county population will be greater than Principal large industries at Jeffersonville are a boat 700,000. and machine company, a U.S. Army Quartermaster De pot, and a soap manufacturer. The Indiana Ordnance 800 Works and the Hoosier Ordnance Works are located a short distance up river from Jeffersonville. 700 - The Ohio River, in addition to providing cheap trans - portation, provides large amounts of raw water to chemical plants and steam-electric plants. Hydro 600 - FLOYD CO.,IND. electric power is also generated at the dam on the Ohio CLARK CO .. IND. Cl) ~ River. 0 ~ ! ~ 500 Cl) ;::) % JEFFERSON CO .. KY. ~ 0 0 ~ Datum Planes :z: % 1-"" 1- 2 ~ ~ 4 z 400 • 1- The elevation of a point is its vertical distance above ~ % =Cl) z ~ ~ (or below) some arbitrarily assumed level surface. 0 ~ "" I ~/: ~ ~ 300 -~ ~ Such a surface is called a datum olane. The datum ..J ~ ~ plane to which most elevations ar-;-;ererred is mean ;::) ~ %:% a. ~ % ~ } % sea level. The datum is transferred from the sea ~ ~ ~ ~ % :% % 200 /: 2:: coast to interior areas, such as Louisville, by a level ~ ~ % ~ % % network. Three such level networks have been run be ~ ~ % % % ;; ~ tween the sea coast and Louisville. Because of small % % % ~ ~ 100 ~ % 'i. ~ errors in the leveling, the results of the three networks • ~ % % ~ % % % % ~ do not quite agree; therefore, there are three sea level ~ % % % % ~ ~ ~ ~ data for the Louisville area. ~~~m ~ ~ :% % ~ % % ~ % 0 !!! The Corps of Engineers established a level network in 1896-1906. This datum, referred to as Ohio River Figure 3. -Population growth - Louisville metropoli datum, is used as a reference on the Ohio River. A tan area. second network of bench marks was established by the city of Louisville in 1906, and adjusted to the U;S. Ge ological Survey network in 1912, it is referred to as the Transportation adjustment of 1912. A third datum, the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey adjustment of 1929, is avail The area is served by 8 railroads, 10 bus lines, 12 able over the area. The three datum planes are nearly barge firms, 5 airlines, about 100 truck lines, and a parallel in the Louisville area; their relative position network of Federal, State, and county highways. These is as follows: facilities provide direct passenger and freight service to principal cities in all directions. Barge lines in the Elevation of normal upper pool at dam 41, measured Louisville area handle more than 7 million tons of in feet above mean sea level, is Ohio River datum, freight each year. 420.00 feet; Adjustment of 1912, 419.53 feet; Datum of 1929, 419.08 feet.
Industrial Development In this report, discussion and data for the Ohio River are based upon Ohio River datum. All of the Louisville Industry of a diversified nature developed as Louis city, street, and sewer elevations are based upon the ville grew. Good farm land was used for truck farming adjustment of 1912. Because the ground-water work is and stock raising,and the city provided a ready market closely related to many city problems, records of for potatoes, fresh vegetables, meat, and dairy prod ground-water level have been based upon the adjustment ucts. Natural resources have been deveJoped, large of 1912. On illustrations relating river records to cement plants at Speed, Ind. (just north of the area) ground-water records, the river records have been con and at Kosmosdale, Ky.., process cement from lime- verted to adjustment of 1912. The 1929 datum is used 6 '{v ATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA for surface water information in areas other than in Of the' nearly 43 inches of precipitation at Louisville, the city and on the Ohio River. about 15 inches becomes runoff and flows to the Ohio River in small streams. Much of the remainder is evap orated and transpired by vegetation. In the flood-plain OCCURRENCE OF WATER area, where the sand and gravel is covered by river de posits of silt and clay, it has been determined that a Essentially, the source of all water is precipitation. bout 6 inches of water per year percolates to the water A portion of the water falling on an area soaks into the table. During the growing season evaporation and tran soil, and when rainfall rates exceed infiltration rates, spiration create a deficit in soil mo1sture. Normal the surplus runs overland into the streams. Part of the summer rains are usually not sufficient to overcome water entering the soil is evaporated, part is held by the deficit, and very little water percolates below the capillary forces until used by plants (transpired). and soil zone during the summer. Also, in the summer still another part seeps downward to be added to the few storms produce rainfall at rates in excess ofinfil ground-water body. The water in the ground-water tration rates; therefore, there is very little overland body slowly seeps toward points of lower elevation. flow, and rises in stream level in summer are normal Eventually, the ground water discharges as a spring ly much less than those in winter. After frost, when flow or as seepage to the ocean. This seepage and transpiration and evaporation are reduced, the soil spring flow are the sources of most stream flow dur moisture deficiency is soon overcome, and winter pre ing dry weather periods. The hydrologic cycle is ex cipitation causes ground-water recharge and subsequent tremely complicated and is affected and controlled by high runoff to streams. the amount of precipitation, the temperature, the na ture of soil, the topography, the plant cover, the geol The same general seasonal cycle prevails in the areas ogy, and other factors. Figure 4 is a generalized dia underlain by shales, except that the amount of water gram showing the movement of water in the Louisville reaching the ground-water body is very small because area. Quantitative evaluation of our water supplies re the rocks do not have sufficient void spaces to transmit quires a basic understanding of all phases of the hy and hold the water. Because vertical flow is obstructed drologic cycle and continuous records of measurement by the shale, and because horizontal seepage is very at various points in the cycle. Plate 2 shows places slow through the ·clay soil, complete saturation of the where meteorological observations are made; where overburden and top soil may occur in the winter in the stage, temperature, chemical quality, and discharge shale areas. These conditions create serious problems of surface streams are observed; and where water in drainage and cause septic tanks to overflow. In these level, temperature, and chemical quality of ground areas, the flood runoff to streams is greater than in the water are observed. flood-plain area. Also, during dry seasons very little
c:: <:) Precipitation ·.;::: Precipitation ~ <:) c:t <:) 1 l 1 l 1 ::. l.u Q:: l.u ~.... 1 ~
Figure 4. -Localized hydrologic cycle - Louisville metropolitan area. SURFACE WATER 7 ground water is available to sustain low-water flow of by assisting in the recharge of adjacent ground-water streams. reservoirs, by supporting an extensive river com merce, by providing a medium for sewage and waste More space for storage is available in crevices and disposal, and by providing a recreational area. De joints in the limestone areas than in the shale areas. structive floods and the polluted condition of the river In general, the seasonal cycle is similar to that for have caused serious problems in the past. Measures other areas. However, a wide range of conditions may for flood control, protection, and pollution control, occur within short distances. At one place, water may directed towards improvement of these conditions, have enter through sinkholes during each rain, thus intrQ4 been undertaken in recent years. ducing water directly to the water table and bypassing the usual seasonal effect of the soil. If crevices are Navigation. -The Corps of Engineers, Department of open, they may drain very quickly to streams; if filled the Army, aids navigation on the Ohio River throughout with unconsolidated material, it may take a long time its 981-mile length from Pittsburgh to Cairo. The for water to travel to a discharge point. Effects of channel depth is maintained at 9 feet by a series of these features are evident in the low-water flow of locks and dams and by dredging. The river is navigable streams that drain the limestone areas. throughout the year, except for occasional interruptions caused by freezing or by running ice in unusually cold Local precipitation is important in supplying the winters. ground-water reservoirs and the water in the local streams-the most important of these streams are The navigation locks and dam create a continuous Harrods Creek, Middle Fork Beargrass Creek, South series of pools during normal river conditions. Thus, Fork Beargrass Creek,· Silver Creek, Floyds Fork, at Louisville the upper pool (formed by dam 41) extends and Pond Creek. The total of the supplies dependent upstream for a distance of 73 miles to dam 39, and the on local rainfall is small when compared with the flow lower pool extends downstream for 26 miles to dam 43. of the Ohio River, which carries the runoff of 91, 170 square miles through the area. The falls of the Ohio River at Louisville is the only substantial natural falls on the entire stream. Louis ville derives its nickname ''The Falls City'' from this SURFACE WATER natural river feature, which consists of a series of rapids as the bed of river drops about 26 feet in 3 The dominant surface -water feature in the Louisville miles. area is the Ohio River. This great stream has played an important role in the history of the area, and it con Since the days of early settlem .;,nt in the area, Louis tinues in that role for the present-day requirements of ville has been an important navigation point on the Ohio water supply, navigation, and other functions and prob River. Several dams have been constructed at the falls lems involving floods and pollution. of Louisville during the past century. The present lock and dam 41 and the hydroelectric plant were constructed The other surface waters of the area consist of a during the period 1925 to 1927. The hydroelectric plant network of small streams, many of which are directly operated by the Louisville Gas and. Electric Company tributary to the Ohio River. (See pl. 2). Economical has an installed capacity of 80, 000 kilowatts. ly, these small streams have little importance as sources of water. Perhaps they may be considered An operational feature of dam 41, as well as for other more of a liability in that the expanding municipalities navigation dams on the Ohio River, is the manipulation must provide pollution control and drainage for areas of movable sections of the dam during low and medium behind flood-walls. These streams are considered un flows, in order to maintain a constant pool stage. Thus reliable as an important source of water (except with at dam 41, a constant water-surface elevation of 420 large carry-over storage), because during dry periods feet above mean sea level is maintained in the upper in most years the flows become very low or else the pool by these manipulations. Below the dam, a water streams cease to flow altogether. surface elevation of about 383 feet above mean sea level is maintained by the operations at dam 43. These oper ations result in a 37-foot drop in the water surface at The Ohio River dam 41 during low water.
The Ohio River is formed at Pittsburgh by the con The drop in water surface at dam 41 is less than 37 fluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. ·At feet at high or medium stages. As the flow of the river Louisville, 605 river miles downstream from Pitts increases, the water level in the pool above the dam is burgh, the Ohio River has drained an area of 91, 170 maintained at nearly 420 feet by lowering movable sec squar:e miles (almost half of the total basin area of tions of the dam. The pool level at dam 43 is maintain 204,000 square miles). The drainage basin above ed in a similar manner. However, the water level be Louisville includes most of Ohio and West Virginia and low dam 41 increases as the flow increases because the parts of seven other States. The topography of the ba slope of the water surface between dam 41 and 43 also sin ranges from the rugged mountains of West Virginia increases. When the water surface in the lower pool to the rolling hills of Indiana and Ohio. has reached the top of the dam, all movable sections of the dam are down and "open river" conditions prevail. The Ohio River is very important to the millions of When the river is falling, the procedure is reversed. people residing in the basin. To those in the metropol itan area of Louisville, the Ohio River is an important Navigation traffic on the Ohio River has increased asset, but at times it is a liability. The stream con considerably in the past few years. Principal ship tributes valuable services to the Louisville area by ments in and out of Louisville are coal and coke, stone, supplying water for municipal and industrial use, sand and gravel, oil and gasoline, metals, and 8 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA
ci1emicals and related products. In 1951, over 18,000 The average discharge of the Ohio River at Louis ooat passages were observed at dam 41--about 14,000 ville for the 25-year period 1928-52 was 75,060 mgd
were barges, about 31 000 were towing vessels, and (116, 000 cfs). The "l'laximum discharge during this the remainder were small craft. Barge tows some period was 1, 110,000 cfs on January 27, .1937; the tirnes consist of 15 or more barges carrying a total minimum discharge was 1, 360 mgd (2, 100 cfs) on cargo of as much as 8, 000 to 10, 000 tons. August 12, 1930. The minimum average discharge for any 10 consecutive days during the period of record Discharge. --Daily records of the river stage have was 2, 370 mgd (3, 670 cfs) in October 1930, and the been collected on the Ohio River at Louisville since minimum average discharge for any month was 2, 840 18 72, and records of the daily discharge have been mgd (4, 400 cfs) in October 1930, Figure 5 shows the collected since 1928. The discharge records for the minimum daily and monthly discharge for each year period 1928 to 1935 were collected and reported by the of record from 1928 to 1952. Corps of Engineers. Since 1935, the records of daily discharge have been published in the annual reports of The flow-duration curve (fig. 6) shows the precent the U.S. Geological Survey. age of time that the· daily flow of the Ohio River a.t Louisville exceeded various values. In statistics, this There are two gages at lock and dam 41, the upper type of curve is commonly called a cumulative fre [;age and the lower gage. The lower gage is used by quency curve. The shape of the curve is indicative of the U.S. Geological Survey. The zero of the lower the flow characteristics of the drainage basin. g-age is at elevation 374.00 feet above mean sea level, and the zero of the upper gage is at elevation 403.0 The duration curve of daily flows demonstrates that feet above mean sea level (Ohio River datum). Criti during the period 1928-52 the discharge of the Ohio cal gage heights and elevations on the upper gage are River at Louisville equaled or exceeded 3, 500 mgd as follows: pool stage at gage height 17. 0 feet (eleva (5, 420 cfs) 99 percent of the time, and that the dis tion 420.0 feet above mean sea level), flood stage at charge equaled or exceeded 116,000 cfs (average flow gage height 28 feet (elevation 431 feet above mean sea at Louisville) 35 percent of the time. level), 1937 flood crest at gage height 57,15 feet (ele vation 460, 15 feet above mean sea level).
40,000 :;:.... 25,000 < 0 0 z p;:: 0 ~ u ~ Ill 00 00 z 20,000 p;:: 0 30, 000~ ...:! ...:! E-t < ~ d Iii z ~ u g 15, 000 H ...:! p:) ...:! ::J 1-1 20, 000 u :;E z z 1-1 1-1 r4 ~· 10, 000 d d p;:: ·p;:: < < ::r:: ::r:: u u 00 10, 000 ~ 1-1 0 0 5000
0 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 CALENDAR YEAR Figure 5. -Minimum daily and monthly discharge, Ohio B.iver at Louisville, 1928-52. SURFACE WATER 9
-- J.,OOq 000 800,000 600,000 500,000 r-. 400.000 ...... 300.000 -...... ,._
30 200.000 !'-... l>< r-.... 0 < ...... z 0 0 1):1 100.000 '-... u IZI IZI 0'- 1'1.1 !l. 80,00 1'1.1 ll:: 60,000 " IZI ~ -- -- 1'\. !l. ..:I 50,000 ' E-< IZI ~ 40,000 -- IZI 0 r:.. z 30.00 0 " u g ' ..:I § 3 20,000 ' u ~ ' Example: The daily flow at Louisville _ ~ 2 equaled or exceeded 3,500 rJ ~ .o rJ 10,000 "' mgd during 99 percent of.- 0 the time during the period- ~ -~ 8 000 ~-- ...... 1928-52 u ,____ ...... v 1'1.1 u 6 000 ~ " -...... L 5 000 s 0 4 000 / ...... ""' 3 000 r-...... """
DRArAGE rEA l170 sriE TES
OOQ O.Dl 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 98 99 99.5 99.8 99.9 99.99 PERCENT OF TIME DISCHARGE EXCEEDED THAT- SHOWN
Figure 6.-Duration curve of daily flows, Ohio River at Louisville, 1928-52.
100,000
80,000 100.000 60,000 80,000 50,000
60,000 40.000 50,QOO 30,000 40,000
20,000 l>< < 0z 0 0 0:: ...... u r.l r.l 20,000 !l. "-. Cll ...... Cll ...... 0:: z 10,000 ...... Example: The average 30,day flow at Louisville r.l g ...... will be less than 5, 000 mgd at average !l...... E-< ..:I 8000 intervals of 12 years and the average < ...... r.l 0 ' - r- 3o da 10-day flow will be less than 5, 000 mgd IZI 10,000 --...... _- at average intervals of 4. 4 years r:.. z 6000 " ~ u g ' -..!..!l.!_ay :>i 2000 elo~est daily ~isJhJgJ ~ 1930 1000 1---DRAINAGE AREA 91,170 SQUARE MILES I 800 1000 600 800 500 LOI 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 3 8 10 20 30 40 50 60 80 100 200 RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS Figure 7.-Drought frequencies, Ohio River at Louisville, 1928-52. 10 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA The discharge of the Ohio River at Louisville during ord, the flow receded below 3, 500 mgd only about 10 the period of record was studied to determine the pruo times in 27 years. able recurrence interval, or frequency, of low flow. The recurrence intervals of minimum average flows of In the past few years, several storage reservoirs 1, 10, and 30 days duration are given in figure 7. The have been constructed by the Corps of Engineers on curves are based on the lowest flow for each year of the main tributary streams of the Ohio River in Ohio, record. The plotted points, except those for 1930, lie Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Additional reser fairly close to the curves. It may therefore be con voirs are under construction or have been proposed. cluded that the recurrence interval of the 1930 drought Although these reservoirs have flood control as their is much longer than the 25-year period of discharge primary function, some of them are also designated record. for low-water regulation. It is probable that low flows at Louisville have been increased during the past few The drought-frequency curves show that during the years by the operation of these reservoirs and that 25-year period the flow of the Ohio River at Louisville future low flows will be augmented considerably by was less than 10,000 mgd in almost every year. The these operations. Consequently, the frequency and daily flow receded to less than 4, 000 mgd in about half magnitude of low flows at Louisville, as based on rec the years and to 2, 600 mgd about once in 20 years. ords for the past 25 years, may be appreciably alter The drought-frequency curves also indicate that on the ed by this regulation. average of once in about 10 years the lowest average flow for 10 consecutive days will be 4, 300 mgd (6, 650 Floods. -Louisville has always been more or less cfs) and the lowest average flow for 30 consecutive "flood conscious" because of the economic importance days will be 5, 170 mgd (8, 000 cfs). Although the daily of the Ohio River to the community, and because of the flow equaled or exceeded 3, 500 mgd 99 percent of the effect of floods on that economy. Consequently, this time (fig. 6) the daily flow was less than 3, 500 mgd at intense local interest has resulted in the maintenance average inte~vals of 2. 7 years (fig. 7). The recur of flood recorc).s since the days of early settlements in rence interval does not imply any regularity of occur the area. rence, instead_.it is the probable average interval be tween drought flows of a given volume in a long period A graphic record of the annual flood crests for the of time. Daily flows of as low as 3, 500 mgd could oc Ohio River at Louisville (fig. 8) indicates the highest cur in consecutive years, but during the period of rec- elevation attained by the river in each year of record. Note: Graph shows crest elevation attained by highest flood in each year of record 460~------ft------j co ""'co 450~------~M~------tt-----~r-----~ c eo co M 440ffirtir--.n------~------ 430~~--~----~B------ 400 0 0 0 0 0 co c co m 0 co eo co co m M M M ..... Figure 8. --Maxim'um annual elevations of Ohio River at Louisville, 1832-1952 (only major floods prior to 1872). SURFACE WATER 11 In recent years, all floods in the Louisville area i ::> have been referred to the 1937 flood (which was the !-< < Cl highest and most destructive flood in the history of the g: area). The most recent major flood on the Ohio River !937 g:~ 460 occurred in 1945. At Louisville, it was exceeded only ~ by the 1937 flood, although it was exactly 10 feet lower 2 ..:1 at the crest . f.il :; > f.il ::;; 450 ..:1 p.. g ;:> face for a period of about 3 weeks during the 1937 and < ~ 1945 floods. The two floods have a similar shape !-<. f.il throughout the flood wave, especially during the crest f.il r.. and recession period. l5 z 9 15 25 30 I !-< The probable frequency of floods is an important fac < JANU~-FEBRUARY 1937 > tor in any project involving flood control and protec f.il ..:1 • f.il I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I tion, as for example, the design of flood walls, intake 25 5 10 15 20 FEBRUARY- MARCH 1945 structure, or of any structure, such as a warehouse or factory to be built on the flood plain. Flood fre Figure 9. --Stage hydrographs of Ohio River at quency graphs have been prepared for the Ohio River Louisville, 1937 and 1945 floods. at Louisville to show the probable average interval in years between floods of various magnitude (fig. 10). The record is continuous from 18 72 (when daily obser This graph is based on past flood records, including vations began). From 1832 to 1872, the major floods the continuous record since 18 72 and the historical shown are those described in historical accounts. flood records to ·1832. The curve is well defined up to Lack of mention in newspapers and historical accounts the 10-year interval. From the 10-year to about the is sufficient evidence to assume that no major floods 50-year recurrence interval, it is fairly well defined, occurred during the years for which no data are but above the 50-year interval it is not defined. This shown. curve should not be extended. 1937 Example: Flood attaining stage of 445. 5 ft 1, 110, 000 ~ on upper gage has an average 0u recurrence interval of 20 years r.:l 940,000 rJl p:: 1945 r.:l ~ 820, 000 ~ -:::- r.:l Upper g~ge'\,_ f.:::: t:: \ ~ r.:l .....-:::: 710, ~00 Jl:. ~--r-· u ~ ~ ~ -~ ·<- s2o. ooo ,.- r-- B ~ "'-Lower gage ~ f-- .. ~ -- ~ ~- r.:l ~ ~- -- 0 ~ ~------p:: ./_~..--- u~ r/>,....,,." {I)s r.:l ~ § p:: fl. ·~ I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 1!50 RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS Figure 10. -Flood-stage frequencies, Ohio River at Louisville, 1832-1952. 12 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA Plotting of the 1937 flood was based on the length of of 440 feet above mean sea level is a rather frequent record from 1832 to 1952; however, the recurrence occurrence during the months of January to April. interval of the 1937 flood is indeterminate bec'l.use the Conversely, a flood during the period of May to No record is not sufficiently long to define the relation vember is an infrequent occurrence, and the occasional ship. flood during that period rarely exceeds an elevation of 430 feet above mean sea level. Differences in the elevations attained by the same flood above and below the dam are apparent in the two The disastrous flood of 193 7, which caused untold frequency curves. Thus, the plotting shows that a suffering and damage in the Louisville area, stimulated flood of probable 10-year recurrence interval will at plans for flood control and protection, not only locally, tain an elevation of about 442 feet aoove mean se2. ~-=·J'el but throughout the Ohio River basin. Local interest and on the upper gage at dam 41, and it will attain about support, combined with Federal action, has resulted in 440. 5 feet ?n the lower gage at dam 41. the construction of flood walls for the protection of Louisville, Jeffersonville, and New Albany. Design and An indication of this ·difference is also apparent in construction of these flood walls is under jurisdiction of the flood profile (fig. 11). This figure graphically por the Louisville District, Corps of Engineers, Depart trays the relationship of flood water-surface to the ment of the Army. Status of the flood-wall projects in low-water pool stages in the reach of river from mile 1953 is as follows: Jeffersonville, completed; Louis 592 (9 miles above the waterworks) to mile 627 at ville, completed except for pumping stations under con Kosmosdale. struction; and New Albany, under construction. Most floods occur during the 4-month period, Jan Figure 13 shows the location of these flood walls, uary to April, and all of the high floods have occurred which protect Louisville on the south side of the river in those months (fig. 12). This graphical plotting and Jeffersonville and New Albany on the north side of shows the crest elevation of floods greater than 420 the river. Also shown on this figure is the approximate feet above mean sea level that have occurred during area flooded in 193 7. Very small unflooded high spots the period 18 75 to 1952~ each flood is shown in the in the overflow area are not shown. month it occurred. A flood attaining a crest elevation ~ ;:J ~ 470 ~ 0 P::: ril :> ____1945 High._Water ~ ..___.._ ...... _ 0 __ __ 53 Q Louisville and Portland Canal ...:l r ril :> ril 430 ...:l DAM 41 ~ ril Normal pool, Dam 41 ..-L-..__ Vl ~ ~ ril :;g 410 ril :> 0 Ill ~ ~~ 390 ril Lower pool ril ~ 380 1S z~ 370 0 E=: ~ :> 360 ril (lowest point in channel cross section) ...:l ril 350 590 595 600 605 610 615 620 625 630 DISTANCE, IN MILES, BELOW PITTSBURGH Figure 11. --Water-surface profile of 1937 flood on the Ohio River at Louisville, mile 592 to mile 627. SURFACE WATER 13 19,37 460 ([ Plotted points show crest elevations of all floods above present pool stage in month of occurrence. Year of occurrence of the maximum for each month shown above symbol 1884 1945 4' 1913 4. 4' 0 4' • : 0 :~ 4 • 4 r' 1921 ~. I. It :~ 1933 1875 ~· ~.• :t I. ~- r• r' ~· II ~- • • I " :t 1928 Hll9 ~~· 4. 4- I I I. ~I I ' I • I I• jI i • 420 f----L-~ 1-----• 1-----·-1----1----!---t----1----1----1-----f----1---- 35 34 41 31 12 0 0 0 12 JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY JUNE jULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC NUMBER OF FLOODS FOR MONTHS INDICATED Figure 12. -Frequency of floods by months, Ohio River at Louisville, 1875-1952. The flood walls, of course, narrow the overflow and by industrial and domestic pollution. Under nat channel. Thus, for a very high flood,similar to the ural conditions, <:he water of the Ohio River in this area 1937 flood, the effect of the flood walls on both sidoes would contain principally calcium-magnesium and bi of the river is expected to raise the stage of the river carbonate, and appreciable amounts of sulfate. How a little more than half a foot. This fact should be taken ever, the acid mine drainage into the Ohio River and into account in considering flood frequencies based on its tributary streams above Louisville, and the dis past records. char~·e of large amounts of industrial and domestic wastes alter the character of the water. The acid In addition to the local protection projects, other mine wastes decrease the alkalinity, which occurs as measures for flood control in the Ohio River basin bicarbonate, and increase the concentration of sulfate. have been under way since the 1937 flood. These mea The industrial and domestic wastes increase the sodi sures consist of the construction of dams and reser um, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, and hardness. voirs on the large tributary streams by the Corps of In addition, oils, toxic substances, and taste and odor Engineers. Several of these reservoirs have been producing compounds are discharged into the river completed in the past few years and others are under from the various waste sources. The toxic substances, construction or are proposed. The primary purpose as discharged into the Ohio River, are diluted by the of most of these reservoirs is for flood control. Un large volume of flow. Since this report does not cover doubtedly, operation of the completed group of reser a study of toxic materials in the Ohio River, the re voirs has had some effect on flood heights at Louis porting of the discharge of these materials should not ville, and the final network of reservoirs should make be taken to infer that dangerous concentrations are a substantial difference. present. However, the city of Louisville, which draws its supply of water from the Ohio River, has a consid Quality. -There is considerable variation in the erable problem in making the water palatable and con chemical quality of Ohio River water. This variation trolling the varying amounts of bacterial and chemical is caused largely by the changes in water discharge pollution. 14 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA Concrete- flood wall Earth• levee• C,;.-z:.,.""') Inundated area in 1937 flood (very small uninundated high spots in the flooded area are not shown) High-water line I 93 7 flood See text for construction status of floodwolls 0 3Miles Based on data furnished by Corps of Engineers Figure 13.-Location of flood walls and areas flooded in 1937. SURFACE WATER 15 The water of the Ohio River is moderately hard, In 1952, it had an average hardness of 146 ppm, a maxi- mum 270 ppm, and a minimum of 58 ppm, according 240 1\ to samples collected and analyzed by the Louisville z Water Co. The cumulative frequency curve of hardness g ...:1 shows that the hardness of the water exceeded 135 ppm 210 \ t:1 on about 37 percent of the days recorded (fig. 14). ::s IX: Total solids ranged between 150 ppm and 1,170 ppm. ~ •'\ 0.. [\. During low stages, the dissolved solids may equal or ....rll 180 exceed the 500 ppm limit specified in the United States IX: < "\ Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards, and 0.. es 150 the water during those times is quite hard. The alka linity of the water is relatively low; it averaged 58 ppm 8(.) in 1952. Chemical analyses of the Ohio River are given (.)"' 120 " in table l. rll < ...... rll "" rll " """ ~ Bacterial pollution in the Ohio River is variable. ~z 90 ~ Q ...... _ During a 12-day survey, in September 1950, the Ohio It: < ~ ...... River Valley Water Sanitation Commission reported a :t: maximum of 2, 300, 000 coliform bacteria (MPN per 60 . 100 ml) at the Louisville water intake, with an average of 211,000 for the period. The single day's count of 2, 300, 000 coliform bacteria is higher than counts on 1 2 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 98 99 other days. If this count were omitted, the average PERCENT OF TIME HARDNESS EQUALLED OR EXCEEDED' THAT SHOWN for the 12-day period would be 21,000. The average concentration of coliform bacteria (B. Coli per 100 rril) Figure 14. -Cumulative frequency curve of hardness in 1950,as reported by the Louisville Water Company, of Ohio River water at Louisville, 1950-52. was 4, 982. High bacterial pollution makes the treat ment of the water more difficult and may produce troublesome slimes when the untreated water is used by industry. 100 I I 0~10 RIVER WEEKLY TEMPERATURE 90 v ( v f\ A [\ 80 ~ 6 jr~; I I"~- I I I ;::I I I ~~ I ,lrl~ I j : I L, t1 l L ! f: 1\ I L I '-I\ I I I I ~~ '- I ) I r~ I I ~~~ ,... I I ~ I I I I I I I I I I I I r I ) I I l_\ I I Ll I ; I I II ..... I I I ,f r I I I :r v I I I I l; I I-I I I I I I I I r I I I I ~ I I I -1 I I I I I ~I I p I T I I I I I I I I r ,) L I I I I I I ~~ I ·~ I I L~ L L~ } A I wJ1 ~ J N I I 40 1 L ~r Ll f-'J I !'II ' Lr ·~ I I i~~lr I I I ~~ r' vI I I I, I 30 u -- _:---AVERAGE rONTHLY AIR T EMPERATURE 20 I I I I I J1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Figure 15, -Temperatures of Ohio River water and air at Louisville, 1946-52. 16 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA Table 1. -chemical quality of surface lnstantane- Source Date ous Silica Iron Cal- Mag- So- Potas- Bicar- discharge (Si02) (Fe) cium nesium dium sium bonate (cfs)1 (Ca) (Mg) (Na) (K) (HC03) 2 Ohio River at Louisville, Ky .•...• 1951 - - 46 3 - - - - - Do ...... Oct. 15, 1952 314,500 0.7 0,02 57 15 36 3,2 80 Do •.•.••..•••...... •....••.••.....••••.•.•. Nov. 14 3 20, 100 2.4 • 04 74 17 49 3.8 82 Do .... _ ...... Dec. 15 122,000 5.6 ,05 56 12 31 5. 1 63 Floyds Fork at Fisherville, Ky .•. June 11, 1952 . 9 3.7 ,03 56 19 5.2 . 8 232 Do ...... July 24 . 6 6.8 .04 43 5.3 1.6 3.5 136 Do ...... •.•.....•..••...•••...•.•.• Sept. 26 .No flow 2. 1· .02 54 8.5 3.2 4.2 165 Do .....•..•...••.••••..••••...•••..•.••..• Oct. 30 No flow 1.2 . 05 64 9.2 2.8 2.3 188 Middie Fork Beargrass Creek at Louisville, Ky ...... June 10, 1952 2.6 8.4 ,03 58 16 8.7 2.0 209 Do ...... July 24 . 5 8. 1 ,03 56 14 18 4.0 1)!1 Do ...... Sept. 26 . 1 3.0 ,03 64 10 28 2.4 194 Do ...... Oct. 31 . 1. 3.4 ,03 83 17 28 2.7 262 South Fork Beargrass Creek at Louisville, Ky ...... June 10, 1952 2.2 3.8 ,02 33 11 7.0 1.4 94 Do ...... July 24 .4 13 .07 48 12 20 6.8 172 Do ...... Sept, 26 No flow 9.8 ,04 64 12 13 1.8 224 Do ...... Oct. 31 . 1 7.9 • 10 93 16 21 2.3 312 Harrods Creek near Prospect, Ky. June 9, 1952 4.3 3.3 ,01 46 24 4. 1 1.6 238 Do ...... July 23 .5 4.3 ,03 37 23 3.0 2.1 205 Do ...... Sept. 25 . 2 3.5 .03 38 20 10 2.4 194 Do ...... Oct. 30 1.0 7.8 .03 51 23 10 2.7 235 Pond Creek near Louisville, Ky ... June 1"1, 1952 5.4 6.6 ,02 37 10 22 1. 4 104 Do ...... July 25 3,6 5.9 ,04 36 12 40" 2.5 114 Do ...... Sept. 26 2.0 2.7 .06 33 15 67 2.0 72 Do ...... qct. 31 2.4 3.6 ,06 35 15 86 1.8 76 Silver Creek at Blackiston Mill, Ind ...... June 9, 1952 5.5 6.2 .02 36 9.7 12 2.6 90 Do ....•••••.•••.••...... ••••..•••.•.•.•••.• July 23 2.0 6.6 .03 34 13 15 3,2 128 Do ...... Sept. 25 . 1 4. 1 .06 45 10 12 3.2 154 Do ...... ••.•.•••....•.•.•.••...•....•...••. Oct. 31 . 2 4.7 ,03 48 11 12 3.0 163 1 Provisional records. 2 Average of determinations by Louisville Water Co., Bicarbonate, chloride, and hardness determined daily; others at frequent intervals. 3 Mean discharge. SURFACE WATER 17 waters in the Louisville area Hardness Specific Sul- Chlo- Fluo- Ni- Phenols Oils Dis- as CaC03 conductance fate ride ride trate as and solved (micromhos pH Color (S04} (Cl} (F) (N03} H 0H c 6 5 waxes solids Ca, Mg Non-car- at 25°C) bonate 23 ------134 78 140 49 - - - 0.5 3.6 - - 355 205 138 593 196 68 7.2 4 .4 5.4 - - 457 256 187 762 147 39 7. 1 6 . 5 8. 1 - - 338 189 137 555 6.7 5 33 5. 5 • 1 1.5 - - 246 218 28 425 21 2.8 7. 1 6 .2 3,4 - - 163 130 18 274 7. 0 39 4.2 8 . 2 2.0 - - 208 171 34 357 7.4 6 49 6.0 . 2 . 2 - - 240 198 44 403 7.5 6 32 13 . 1 3,4 - - 255 208 39 I 434 53 21 7.4 4 . 3 6.0 - - 274 195 41 472 58 35 7.4 4 . 1 1. 0 - - 305 202 42 522 71 39 7.8 4 . 2 2.6 - - 385 280 62 652 7. 7 10 53 10 . 8 .8 - - 176 128 51 299 7.0 40 26 5 . 1 6.0 - - 263 170 28 447 7.4 36 15 3 . 1 2.0 - - 270 208 26 455 7,3 55 25 6 . 1 .2 - - 384 298 42 640 7,7 13 21 5,0 . 1 1.4 - - 231 211 18 410 7,8 3 21 4.5 • 1 . 9 - - 198 188 19 363 7,6 3 24 17 . 1 . 8 - - 217 179 18 388 8. 1 5 33 14 . 1 . 0 - - 262 220 29 461 7.9 8 71 20 1. 0 . 0 0.014 4.0 243 135 48 394 6,7 93 27 7 . 9 1. 4 . 020 6.0 280 142 46 475 7.0 139 56 9 1. 0 1.0 . 053 24 359 143 85 601 6,5 135 91 9 1.0 . 9 . 041 37 402 148 87 706 7. 1 12 62 11 . 1 2.7 - - 199 130 56 323 7.7 5 44 14 • 1 5.5 - - 208 137 33 347 8,2 8 44 12 .2 1. 3 - - 215 154 27 379 7.8 5 43 13 . 2 .o - - 221 164 31 377 7.6 10 18 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA 100 80 100 70 60 80 50 70 60 40 50 _.,....., 30 40 ~ ..... ~ .... 30 20 '~, 20 f'_,. 10 "' 8 6 ' 5 r--· ' ~' l':l 6 ~ 4 ..:I 5 "'' ~ 3 r-- ' ~ 4 ' l':l "','\!' ~ 3 ~ 2 g g 2 1"-'' I'./ Middle Fork Beargrass Creek drainage area 18. 5 square miles ~ l':l ~p.. 1.0 "\ p.. "' 0 ~ .8 "' ~ ~~ ~ .6 ' '\. -, ~ .8 l':l .5 '" p.. .4 ~ .6 " '\ l':l .5 -~ - '\_:\· 3 .3 ~ .4 K_, ~ .3 ~ .2 " r.. South Fork Beargrass Creek drainage area 18. 8 square miles- r---- ~ .2 ~ ~ ..:I :;J I\ u ~ .1 1--·-- ~ t· ~ '\' iJ:1 .1 ~ :8~ \ l':l .06 r-- ---t--+-- \' (!)08 '\L-,. ~ :o7 ~ .0 5 II: 0.06 .04 ~ [!3 .05 ~ .03 "~ ..... 0 .04 0 r-- ,,'\ ' .03 .02 Harrods Creek (est~at~d) drainage area 74 square miles.-/'-..; ' ' ' .02 "\, ' 1 ' t---- \ ' I'\ .01 7 6- "' \ \ .008 5 t--- \ ' .007 .006 4 \ .005 t--· ' 3 \ I' ' .004 '\ \_ \ 2 .003 \ .002 ' 1 .do 0.01 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 98 99 99.5 99.8 99.9 99.99 PERCENT OF TIME DISCHARGE EXCEEDED THAT SHOWN'" HJflt Figure 16. -Duration curve of daily flows, Harrods and Beargrass Creeks, 1944-52. Ohio River water temperatures are closely related River). These five streams drain more than two-thirds to air temperature (fig. 15). The water temperature of the area, which consists of parts of the three topo at the surface of the river reached a maximum of graphic types. Plate 2 shows the drainage boundaries, 90° F, a minimum of 32° F and averaged 59° F during the stream-gaging stations, and where discharge meas the period 1946-52. urements have been made. The discharge, chemical quality, and other information for each stream and ba sin are as follows: Small Streams Harrods Creek. --Harrods Creek drains an area of The small streams of the area are shown on the ref 85 square miles of generally rolling farm land. It is erence map, plate 2. The information provided in almost entirely within Oldham County, Kentucky. 'The this report is confined to the five largest streams, stream flows into the Ohio River in the northeastern namely-: Harrods Creek, Silver Creek, and Beargrass corner of Jefferson County. Five measurements of Creek (all direct tributaries to the Ohio River); and stream discharge were made between June and Novem Floyds Fork, and Pond Creek {tributaries to Salt ber 1952 at a point 2 miles east of Prospect (drainage SURFACE WATER 19 There is evidence that the flow of the forks of Bear 300·~------~--+------~--j g'!"ass Creek, especially Middle Fork, is augmented MIDDLE FORK by leakage from the city water system and from other BEARGRASS CREEK ------1-----t--- At Louisville______--1.-t..-t sources, including seepage from sewers, septic tanks, and swimming pools. Thus, the flow of these streams may not represent the natural yield of the basin. Furthermore, the leakage and seepage will probably increase as the area continues to develop. Recording stream-gaging stations have been in oper ation for several years on the South Fork Bcargrass HARRODS CREEK SOUTH FORK Near Prospect BEARGRASS CREEK Creek at Trevillian Way and on the Middle Fork Bear ~ 200 At Louisville grass Creek at Cannons Lane. The flow-durl:ltion :3 curves (fig. 16) show the flow characteristics of the ~ two streams as derived from these discharge records. p:: 100 Other information for these gaging stations, including "'p.. data for the 8-year period of record, is as follows: ,.112_··- ,.,I •• fl. South Fork Beargrass Creek at Trevillian Way (pub LOYDS FORK------1----.-- SILVER CREEK ------, lished in Water-Supply Papers as South Fork Beargrass At Fisherville ·- At Blackston Mill Creek at Louisville): drainage area, 18.8 square miles; datum of gage, 450. 60 feet above mean sea level, . 100,1------t----- Louisville City Datum, adjustment of 1912; recordmg gage record since 1939 and discharge record 1939-40 and 1944 to date; average discharge, 15.9 mgd (24. 6 II cfs) for 9-year period 1939-40, 1944-52; ma~imum dis ~•---'1--- charge, 1, 890 cfs onMarch 6, 1945 (gage height, 11.62 feet); no flow on many days in 5 of the 11 ye_ars for which low-water discharge records are available - longest continuous period of no flow was the period Sep tember 6 to October 6, 1952. Middle Fork Beargrass Creek at Cannons Lane: Figure 17. -Chemical character of waters from drainage area, 18.5 square miles; datum of gage 477. 70 small streams in Louisville area. feet above mean sea level, Louisville City Datum, ad justment of 1912; recording gage and discharge record from 1944 to date; average discharge 17. 5 mgd (27. 1 area, 74 square miles). The minimum discharge cfs) for 8-year period 1944-52; maximum discharge, measured during the period June to November 1952 1, 400 cfs on March 6, 1945 (gage height, 4. 94 feet); was 0. 13 mgd (0. 2 cfs) on September 25, 1952. Low no flow on August 13, 1944, September 12, 1945, and flow characteristics of the stream are shown by the October 5, 6, 1947; the flood of February 1943 reach flow-duration curve in figure 16, which was computed ed a stage of 8. 1 feet (485. 8 feet above mean sea by comparison with Beargrass Creek. level) from information by local residents. The water of Harrods Creek is predominantly the Water samples were collected from the Middle Fork calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type, which is typical and South Fork of Beargrass Creek at approximately of the natural chemical character of the surface water 5-week intervals during the period June to October in the area. The four samples analyzed (1952) show 1952. The chemical character of water from both that the dissolved solids ranged from 198 to 262 ppm, forks is similar; the water is predominantly of the and the hardness ranged from 179 to 220 ppm. The calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type. The four sam l"anges would be larger if the stream had been sampled ples collected from each fork will only partly cover more frequently over the entire year. Analyses are the range in chemical character. The results, given in given in table 1 and are illustrated in figure 17. table 1, show that the dissolved solids ranged from 176 to 384 ppm and the hardness ranged from 128 to Beargrass Creek. -Beargrass Creek drains an area 298 ppm. The average of the four analyses is shown of 65.4 square miles (from Louisvi-lle Sanitation Com graphically in figure 17. mission, 1927) entirely in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The .area comprises a hilly residential section of ·Silver Creek. --Silver Creek drains an area of about Louisville, and the remainder is mostly farm land on 231 square miles in Clark and Floyd Counties, Indiana, a rolling plateau. The drainage basin of Beargrass most of which is rolling farm land. The stream flows Creek is contained mainly in the area of the three into the Ohico River at the eastern edge of New Albany. forks (Middle, Muddy, and South Forks). The main Four measurements of stream discharge were made stream below the confluence of the forks is short and between June and November 1952 at Blackiston Mill flows into the Ohio River near the upstream end of about 2 miles northeast of New Albany (drainage area, Towhead Island. about 228 square miles). The minumum discharge measured during the period in 1952 was 0. 06 mgd (0. 1 cfs) on September 25. Low-flow characteristics of the 20 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA 100' on 70 60 50 40 30 r--....., 20 ...... r-r-...... " ... ""... ::_, 10 8 7 ' 6 """-\.. 5,r-_ r.:l 4 ' r.:l ..:I ~" ..:I 3 \'\.. 51 51 \.'\. r.:l r.:l II: \.r\ II: 2 <:::> ~ (1 ~:... g til II: II: r.:l "\.. r.:l p.. 1. p.. .8 0 <>< '\. ~ 0 .6 u II: .5 " r.:l r.:l til p.. .4 ' l't.. II: til - -! [:1:1 .3 p, ~ " ..:I -:-- ' E-< ..:I ' r.:l .2 ~ r.:l Figure lB.-Duration curve of daily flow; Silver Creek, Floyds Fork, and Pond Creek, 1944-52. GROUND WATER 21 stream are shown by the flow-duration curve (fig. 18), and to facilitate the passage of flood waters. A great which wa:s computed by comparision with Muscatatuck part of the swampy area has been reclaimed for agri River. cultural and residential development. The chemical character of Silver Creek is similar Pond Creek is improved and straightened for several to that of other small streams in the area. Four water miles below the confluence of the two forks. The main samples were collected and analyzed during the period stream continues southw·estward to join Salt River at West June to October 1952. These results show a range in Point, less than a mile from the Ohio River. dissolved solids from 199 to 221 ppm, and hardness ranges from 137 to 164 ppm. These ranges would be Stream-flow records have been obtained since August larger if the stream had been sampled more frequently 1944 at a recording gaging station on Pond Creek about over the entire year. The analyses are given in table 1. 6 miles downstream from the confluence of Northern 1 and illustrated in figure 17. and Southern Ditches. These records of discharge for Pond Creek do not represent the natural yield of the ba Floyds Fork. --Floyds Fork drains an area of 262 sin. Water from the Louisville municipal system is di square miles, which includes parts of five Kentucky verted into the basin through disposal from several in counties. The stream rises in Henry and Oldham dustrial plants. The recent construction of additional Counties and flows southwestward to join the Salt River large industrial plants and the anticipated location of in Bullitt CountY, near Shepherdsville. The Floyds other plants in the basin will cause further increase in Fork basin exte.1ds over the eastern one-third of Jeffer this diversion. An added factor has been the effect of son County, a hilly area of small towns. extensive residential developments, largely without sewer connections, in the area during the past few The natural regimen of Floyds Fork is largely un years-the effluent from the septic tanks seeps into the disturbed because no extensive urban orindustrial de drainage ditches of the area. Here again, it is antici velopmen.: has occurred in the drainage basin. Con pated that continued development will probably aggra tinuous stream-flow records have been obtained at a vate the condition. recording gaging station on Floyds Fork at Fisherville from August 1944 to date. The flow-duration curve The flow-duration curve (fig. 18) shows the flow (fig. 18) shows the flow characteristics of this stream, characteristics of this stream as derived from the gag as derived from these gaging-station records. ing-station records. Other information for this gaging station, including discharge data for the 8-year period The shaly formations in the Floyds Fork drainage of record, is as follows: drainage area, 63. 1 square carry very little ground water to support the base flow miles; .datum of gage, 435. 53 feet above mean sea of the stream, a condition which accounts for the level; average discharge 60.2 mgd (93. 1 cfs); maximum greater steepness of the duration curve. discharge, 2, 060 cfs on April 13, 1948; no flow on sev eral days in 1948. The flood of January 1937 reached Other information for this gaging station, including an elevation of about 455 feet above mean sea level, ac discharge data for the 8-year period of record, is as cording to information furnished by local residents. follows: drainage area, 138 square miles; datum of gage, 542.60 feet above mean sea level, 1929" datum; The natural chemical character of Pond Creek water average discharge, 132 mgd (204 cfs); maximum dis is similar to that of the other streams in the area. charge, 10, 100 cfs on April 12, 1948 (gage height, However, its character is altered by the industrial 13.34 feet); no flow on some days during most years wastes discharged into it. Acid wastes cause a marked of record - longest continuous period of no flow, Sep increase in sulfate content, lowering of the pH and a tem.ber 3 to November 18, 1952; the flood of 1937 decrease in the concentration of bicarbonate. The water reached a stage of about 16.8 feet (559. 4 feet above of Pond Creek had an average sulfate content of 110 ppm mean sea level) according to information furnished by for four analyses, whereas the sulfate content for all local residents. other tributary streams averaged 42 ppm. The bicar bonate concentration was 92 ppm as compared to an av The water of Floyds Fork may be classed as pre erage of 189 ppm for the other creeks. The chloride dominantly the calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type. content was also higher, and a maximum of 1. 4 ppm of Four water samples were collected during the period fluoride was found in Pond Creek. Oils and phenols are June to October 1952. The results of analyses show a typical of pollution contributed to the Ohio River. The range in dissolved solids from 163 to 246 ppm and in highest phenol concentration observed in four samples hardness from 130 to 218 ppm (table 1 and fig. 17). was 0. 053 ppm, and the highest oil concentration was 37 ppm. The four analyses from Pond Creek are given Pond Creek. -Pond Creek drains an area of 93 in table 1 and the average is illustrated in figure 17. square miles, which is contained almost entirely in the south-central and southwestern section of Jefferson County, Ky. The area is mostly flat farm land and a GROUND WATER few developed areas,except in the southern part of the basin where the topography is rugged with some wood Occurrence ed areas. Most rocks containground·water; however, the quan The two main forks of the stream have been tity, quality, and possibility of recovery by wells vary straightened and improved in the central part of the greatly from place to place. Water occurs in the open basin. These improved and relocated channels are ings in the rocks; these openings may range in size now known as· Northern Ditch and Southern Ditch. The from very small spaces between sand or clay particles improvements, including side drainage ditches, were to large caverns. The number of openinas may range made to provide drainage for the adjacent swamp lands from a very large number in a sand or gravel formation 22 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA to a very small number in a massive limestone or In the upland areas, the joints and bedding planes shale. A formation has three water-bearing character have been moderately developed by solution, thus pro istics: (1) storage capacity, (2) pipe line capacity, and viding good transmission capacity but very low storage (3) intake capacity. The storage capacity of a forma capacity. In these areas (see pl. 1). wells which inter tion depends on the number and size of the openings. sect joints will produce water; those which fail to inter Where the openings are interconnected, water can flow sect a joint are dry. The producing wells usually pro from one place to another as through a network of vide sufficient water for household use, rarely more. pipes. This pipeline characteristic permits water from distant parts of the formation to flow to a pumped These same limestones, where they underlie the val well. Continual pumping will remove water from stor ley fill in Louisville, are below water level and have age, and water levels will decline. If the formation is been extensively developed by solution; that is, many exposed at the surface, or if it intersects a stream, crevices and caverns have been formed. In this area, recharge may occur either by precipitation or by wells intersecting a crevice will produce very large stream water entering the formation. Under natural amounts of water; those not intersecting a crevice are conditions. average discharge equals average intake. dry. (See fig. 19). If storage is not to be depleted indefinitely, withdraw als are limited to that part of the intake which is di Where the limestones are covered by shale, water verted from its natural course to discharge areas. It has had little opportunity to circulate in the joints. and is rarely possible to salvage all the natural discharge. enlargement by solution has not occurred. Most wells However. in the Louisville area the natural intake of drilled in such an area will be dry. If water is found, the principal aquifer (the valley fill) can be augmented the amount is small, and the quality is usually very by induced infiltration, as described later. Table 2 poor. gives the water-bearing characteristics of typical for mations. The New Albany shale (black) is exposed in the Scotts burg Lowland area. The black shale usually does not Table 2. --Water-bearing characteristics of typical produce water. In this area. the shale covers the lime formations stones; therefore, these underlying formations are non productive. Poor underground drainage, fine clay soil, Formation Intake Pipeline Storage and flat topography combine to make surface drainage and septic tank operation difficult. Sand and gravel Excellent Good 10-30 percen by volume The bedrock in the Knobs area is made up of shales, Clay Poor Very poor 30-80 perc en limestones, and sandstones of the Mississippian age by volume and, in the Louisville area, are usually not considered Shale Poor Very poor Small as sources of water. The very rough topography is of Creviced prime importance in relation to poor ground water con limestone Good Excellent Variable ditions. The steep slopes cause the stormflow to run off rapidly, thus reducing the time and opportunity for recharge to the formations. Also, ground water seeps from the formations toward the deep valleys; therefore, In the Louisville area, several geologic formations very little water is stored in the rocks. are present. Table 3 gives a description of the forma tions and their water-bearing properties. The princi pal water-bearing formations are limestones, and "Ohio River Valley Alluvium sands and gravels. The clay. shale, and shaly forma ,tions are not important water producers, but they are The extent and location of the Ohio River valley is important because they influence the flow of water to shown on plate 1. Cross-sections (figs. 20 and 21) or from the other formations. show a narrow. deep, U-shaped channel upstream from Louisville. The channel widens at Louisville to nearly 6 miles, then it gradually narrows toward the south Consolidated Formations west. The valley is partly filled with glacial-outwash sands and gravels, and with river deposits as much as The bedrock formations of the Louisville area lie in 150 feet thick. A clay blanket, ranging from 5 to 40 beds of nearly uniform thickness and dip toward the feet in thickness, covers the sands and gravels. Be sc. _ .hwest at a rate of about 40 feet to the mile. For cause sufficient data are not available to determine the mations below the Waldron shale (table 3) are exposed contact between the alluvium and the glacial outwash, at the surface in the eastern one-third of Jefferson in most places they are not shown separately on maps County. These formations contain beds of argillaceous and in cross -sections, and the term .. glacial outwash shale and other shale, which prevent the vertical per sand and gravel" is used. The outwash material is a colation of water. Storage space is very small, and mixture of clay. sand, and gravel of all sizes. Lenses transmission rates (capacity for ground water move of clay, sand, or gravel are common. The character ment)" are low. On the ground-water map (pl. 1) this of the material varies considerably over short distances. is classified as a poor ground-water supply area. The present Ohio River flows on sand and gravel at The Louisville, Jeffersonville, and Sellersburg a higher elevation than the glacial stream. Northeast limestones are a water-bearing unit exposed in the and southwest of Louisville it follows the course of the northern, central, and south-central parts of Jefferson ancestral stream. At Louisville, the present river County and in eastern Clark County. These formations flows in a channel north of the old deep channel and at also underlie the valley fill under the central part of the falls, it flows on bedrock. (See section CC, fig. 20~ the city of Louisville and are exposed in the river bed at the falls of the Ohio River. Table 3. --Water-bearing' properties of the principal formations in the Louisville area Approximate System Series Group Formation thiclmess Character of material Water-bearing properties (feet) Not important as an aquifer. At places acts Recent Alluviwn Soil, clay, fine sand. as confining bed for water in underlying sand and gravel. Quaternary Gravel, sand, and clay deposited in the buried Stores very large amounts of good quality Pleistocene Alluviwn 0-130 valley of the Ohio River. water. Wells commonly yield 200 to 500 gpm, occasionally as much as 1, 000 gpm. Meramec Warsaw limestone 65-82 Fine-grained limestone with geodes and chert, siliceous and argillaceOIIJS. Some shale. Holtsclaw sandstone 15-25 Fine-grained sandstone, thick-bedded, soft. These formations occur only on the "Knobs• and along the "Knobstone" escarpment and Carboniferous Mississippian Rosewood shale 190 Bluish shale with thin lenses of limestone. are not important as aquifers in this area. Osage (Knobstone) Kenwood sandstone 40 Thin beds of fine-grained greenish sandstone in bluish shale. New Providence shale 150-160 Soft clay shale, green or bluish. Not a source of grotmd water. Generally not considered a source of grotmd water. In rare cases, supplies of household Upper New Albany shale 90-100 Black shale, carbonaceous and fissile. size have been obtained from joints. Acts as sealing bed impedit:o.g fiow of water into underlying Osgood formation 22-30 Shale and shaly dolomite, highly magnesian. Red bed near bottom. Brassfield limestone 3-7 Coarsely crystalline limestone. Not considered important as water-bearing formations. Depths below 100 to 150 feet Saluda limestone 30-40 Fine-grained limestone, thick-bedded, magnesian. produce water of unusable quality, or no water at all. At shallower depths, only a Liberty formation 36-50 Alternating clay shale, and thin limestone layers. 'mall percentage of wells produce supplies Ordovician Richmond of household size. Waynesville limestone 40-50 Thick-bedded limestone; shale at top and bottom. Amheim formation 75-100 Thin limestone interbedded with blue clay shale. ~ w ELEVATION IN FEET, ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) N N N W'W W W.,..,. ~ .,. ~ o w m ~ N ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 l ' I.",.',."..' •.•. ,.1, I I I I ;:to. RIVER LOWER PADDY - RUN -BELLS LANE "'%j aci' s:: "i ('D ,_. co I r 0 ;:l ~- 2' 0. :e s· Q e Cll... Ul ('D Cll (') < c;· Cll -22D STREET ;:l 0 Cll 8, 0 0 Cll ::r 3 c;· 0' Cll... ~ <0 ~- Ul 10TH ST. AND '"$ 1\) - BROADWAY e< ro- « ~ -3D STREET r s::0 (jj" Cl MAIN ~ ~ \ Q~. -STREET ~ 0. ~ Q :::J 0. ~ Q < Cll (/1 Cll Cll '0 .-o c; BEARGRASS -CREEK AT Cll RIVER ROAD 1\) Q :::J 0. .c·- L§ c ... 0 Cll ,..;:' 1\) LOUISVILLE 1\) _..,., 1 ~-WATER CO. PUMPING STATION I '>'"'"'" -OH(O RIVER V:!I'HV :!I'l'liASIIlO'l :!IH..L .!iO S:!I;)BilOS:!I'H 'H3..L VM. vz E L E VAT I 0 N, IN F E E T, A B 0 V E ELEVATION, IN FEET, ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ & 0 0 0 0 0 &0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~--~----~--~----~~~~ I~~~~~ ~R~to ... G) --OHIO RIVER Q - :l g Q. ()a· Q :::J Q. -RIVER ROAO -ZORN AVE I -\\Y/,/~ 116 syz ""-;:._ M~L LWOOO AVE. WESTERN PARKWAY en ELEVATION, IN FEET, ABOVE CD CD MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ '1:1 0 0 0 0 0 &0 g CD :;;--...SILVPR '%j CREEK liQ" "'g t: :::J '1 Q. Cb t..:l aJ -MARKET ST. c CD ? - Q. ~ h CD '1 0 1'JI "' 1'JI "' I 1'JI Cb -PENNSYLVANIA (') .....c;· ::s 1'JI 9, s-Cb 0 ::r c;· it < iXl CD :;:· - G) Cb 0 Q '1 CD () -PONO RUN ...., () ... Q CD Q 0 3 :::J 0 CT Q. 0 0. c: CD... g "0 :::J i Pi iD Q. ...g s· Ul .a... ? Q -PENNSYLVANIA ~ "' < t"' !. RR. 0 t: fii" ~ -HILL ST. fD -OHIO RIVER ROAO -MAIN ST. § 0 l BEARGRASS CREEK g~ 'H::~UVM. GNfiO'HD ELEVATION, IN FEET, ABOVE ELEVA T I 0 N, IN FEET, A B 0 V E E L E VAT I 0 N, IN F E E T, A B 0 V E t.,) MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) MEAN SEA LEVEL (1912 ADJUSTED) O"l w w w ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 1~1 I lc;':) *I ~I *I ~ ~ ~ ~--~----~----~r-~----~~ I ?:!!lfo~vi~§W / ,...._,~-=- I "":l d\~1~ ----OHIO RIVER oq.~ WV ~II r:: -KNOB CREEK '1 ----- (1) .....t.,) OHIO RIVER h -LOWER RIVER '1 0 Ill 0 ROAD Ul 0 c: Ul :::1 - I Q. ~ Ul 0 G'l (1) 0 Ill ~ Ill 0 :::1 ::r ~ ~ Q. g ~- tr-:1 c;· Q. \ ~ ::0 ::s oQ Ul 0 ::0 0 -SYLVANIA ROAD :::1 tr-:1 < Q. (f.) a CD \~ - CAMP GROUNO Ill 0 0 ::T ~ 0 c: (1) ROAO :::1 - c::: CD Q. :E ::0 0 0 (') 0 "' :::; ; ::s ::r CANE RUN tr-:1 c;· < Q. ~ (f.) CD ::0 oQ... ROAO 0 0 ~- < ~ CD '1 ~ ....., II: 0 tr-:1 8. l' -CANE RUN 0 '"0 c::: iii' ROAD til s· 0 < Ul 0 OIXIE ? r:: l' ::T -HIGHWAY tr-:1 ~ :.;.. (1) ::0 ~ tr-:1 a :X:. l' 0 r:: Ui. < ~ I L§ ST. L------~------~'----~ L------~~=-~~ GROUND WATER 27 I SCALE ----,--·z·· - j I 0 I1 L... •• ~'-'--~ l ···- _ _j______3 MILES ~o,~':-···/. : I ELEVATIONS IN FE~~VE MEAN SEA LEVEL ( 1912 ADJ.) ··c;\..ll'·.-'i!· •• •• • [ CONTOUR INTERVAL FIVE FEET ARROWS INDICATE DIRECTION OF I GROUND-WATER MOVEMENT Figure 22.-Map of alluvium in Louisville area showing water-level contours in December 1952. 28 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA The alluvium in the Ohio River valley is a good water level normally is above river level, temporary water producing formation (pl. 1). The space between recharge may occur during floods; that is, when the the sand and gravel particles (about 20 percent by vol river level rises above the ground-water level. then ume) provides a very large storage. The arrangement the river water will flow into the aquifer. As soon as and interconnection of spaces is such that water can the river level falls below ground-water level, the move through the material. Normal movement is a flow reverses its direction, and the infiltrated water bout 2 feet per day under a gradient of 5 feet per mile. returns to the river. Intake of water from precipitation at the surface 1s re stricted by the clay blanket. Normal recharge from Recharge from the river into the alluvium does not this ·source is about 6 inches of water or about 12 to 15 occur in the reach from the dam to Bells Lane. Along percent of the annual precipitation. In two places, the the northern part of this reach, the bedrock is higher downtown area of Louisville and the Rubbertown area, than river elevation (normal river elevation is 383 feet ground-water levels are below river level. In these above mean sea level); therefore,the river is not in areas, Ohio River water infiltrates through the river contact with the aquifer. Along the western part of bed and travels toward the areas of pumping. Louisville, flow of water is restricted by a clay deposit on the river bed and bank. For many years, water from the sands and gravels has been used by industries requiring water for cool Northeast of Louisville and south of the'"Rubber ing. In 1937, the Ohio River flood inundated a large town" area, recharge at the present time is from rain portion of the flood plain. (See fig. 13.) The entire fall and from water entering the sand and gravel from valley area became saturated nearly to the surface. the uplands through the valley walls. Flow is toward After the flood, ground water drained slowly to the the river, and water is lost to the river through its river. In 1939, it became evident that the increasing banks and upward through its bed. demands of industry and air-conditioning was causing a decline in water levels. Large increases in ground Recharge to the sand and gravel from the consoli water use were necessary in 1941 and 1942 because of dated rocks occurs by lateral flow from the upland expansion of industry in connection with war produc areas. Because the uplands are recharged by varying tion. In 1943, a critical ground-water shortage def.'el amounts of rainfall, recharge from the consolidated oped, and pumpage in industrial areas now exceeded rocks varies from year to year. Southwest of Lollis natural recharge by 20 mgd. Conservation measures, ville, the recharge through the valley wall has been including artificial recharge of city water (river estimated at about 100,000 gpd per mile of valley wall, source), reuse of water. use of city water in place of and northeast of the city, recharge has been estimated grouna water, use of cooling towers, and changes in at about 200. 000 gpd per mile of valley wall. Between plant equipment, brought about material reductions in Beargrass Creek and Shively, the valley wall iS, lime pumpage in 1944 and 1945. In 1946, and in all years storte, which undoubtedly carries more water than the since that time, pumpage has been in close balance valley wall to the north or south. with natural recharge. Recharge from rainfall on the flood plain in rural Individual wells commonly yield 200 to 500 gpm in areas has been estimated at about 200, 000 gpd per areas indicated on plate 1. Smaller yields may be ex square mile. Most of this recharge occurs during the pected in areas where the saturated thickness is limit nongrowing season. During the growing season. heavy ed by higher elevation of the bedrock. rains do not infiltrate to the wat~~r table because re quirements of soil moisture, evaporation, and transpir ation leave little or no water available for additions to Recharge and Ground-Water Movement ground water. In the urban areas, recharge from rain fall is probably less than in the rural areas because Recharge to the sand and gravel deposits comes water is drained to sewers from buildings and paved from the following sources: (1) infiltration of water streets. On the other hand, in the older parts of Louis from the Ohio River through its bed and banks, (2) viLle, some recharge is probably occurring through flow from the consolidated rocks along the walls of normal leakage from the city water system and from the valley and upward from the bedrocks, (3) rainfall leaks in sewers. penetrating the flood plains, and (4) artificial re charge. Figure 22 shows contours (lines of equal el Artificial recharge has been practiced in the heavily evation) of water level in December 1952, and arrows pumped area of Louisville for several years. During show the direction of ground-water flow. and after the war, city water was stored in the ground during the winterto supply cold water for summer use. The arrows indicate two areas where river water is After a sewer-rental law (based on water use) was flowing to the sand and gravel - in the downtown area passed in 1947, an increased interest was shown in of Louisville, and in the Rubbertown area. Proof of in ground-water recharge as a means of disposal of used filtration of river water has been established by rec warm water. Figure 23 summarizes total artificial re ords of temperature and quality, as well as by hy charge in Louisville from 1944 to 1952. draulic evidence obtained in pumping tests. Infiltration from the river to the heavily pumped Fluctuations of Water Levels areas varies directly as the difference in river level and ground-water level. During floods, this difference Water levels indicate the change in the amount of is increased, and the amount of recharge is increas underground water in storage. They fall when water is ed. Major floods submerge parts of the flood plain, withdrawn by pumping and when water discharges to the and additional recharge by vertical percolation of river; they rise when natural or artificial recharge flood water occurs. In unpumped areas, where the occurs. A discussion of water level fluctuations in five GROUND WATER 29 1.8 1.6 >- fl) z 9 ~ 1.2r------~------~------+------~~~~~~f¥~~~~~~~~~77~~~77~~~77~~77~~ (!) II. 0 fl)z l~r------r------~------~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~7777~~ 0 ::;_, i ! l&t (!) a: 4 X 0 ~a: _, 4 0 G: j: ~ .2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~77777?7?~????~~~~~~~~~~7.777.7t777.777777Y~~~00~ ::::::::9!!!...... 0 ...... 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Figure 23. -Artificial recharge in the Louisville area, 1944-52 areas, downtown Louisville, West Central area, north and a clay deposit to t.1e we_st prevent recharge Rubbertown area, Distillery area, and Jeffersonville from the river. Heavy pumping in the downtown area area follows. (See fig. 39.) to the east, distillery area to the south, aod Rubber town area to the southwest affect the water levels in Downtown area of Louisville. -Pumpage during the this area. The reduction of pumpage is the principal period 1938-1949 averaged about 12 mgd and ranged item responsible for the recovery in water levels between about 9 mgd in the winter to about 14 mgd in since 1948. Water levels in the Rubbertowri area have the summer. During this period, pumpage from new also affected the water levels in the west-center area. wells approximately balanced reduced pumpage when From 1945 to 1948, water levels,in northern Rubber old wells were abandoned. After the sewer tax went town area rose about 25 feet; during this time, water into effect, some of the air conditioning systems were from the west-central area was seeping to the Rubber converted to types using less ground water. The hy town area. By 1948, water levels were higher here dro graphs for wells, at Fifth and Jefferson Streets than in the west-central area, and the direction of flow and at Fourth and Guthrie Streets, show an annual cy was reversed. Since reactivation of the rubber plants cle related to pumping for air conditioning (fig. 24). in 1949, the Rubbertown area water levels have been As water levels were lowered below river level, river dec lining, and the flow direction has again reversed; water infiltrated to the aquifer. As the distance below it is expected that a further lowering of water levels river level increased, infiltration increased, and the will be reflected in the future by a downward trend in rate of decline became less. In 1945, and also in the west-central area. 1948, major floods caused additional infiltration of river water, which is reflected as rises in water "Rubbertown" area. -The hydrograph for well 49- level. Reduced pumpage toward the end of the period 10-1, south of the heavily pumped area and away from was sufficient to bring recharge and pumpage into bal the river, shows effects of rainfall recharging the ance, as shown by the fact that water levels have not aquifer (fig. 26). Note the large gain in storage dur lowered significantly since 1948. The graph for a we 11 ing 1950, the wettest year of record. The hydrograph near the river (43-15-1) reflects river floods and also of a well near the river (53-10-1) shows infiltration of the general downward trend due to pumping. In 1947, river water during floods, and it shows a return of when the river level was constant, the effect of re water to the river after floods. charge by precipitation is evident. Hydrographs of wells on Bells Lane, northern West-central area. --Graphs of pumpage, precipita Rubbertown area, (49-13-22 and 49-13-24) show a tion, and water level for the area between lOth and direct correlation with pumpage. The excessive pump 30th Streets and north of Algonquin Parkway are shown age of 1943 and 1944 caused a decline of about 35 feet, on figure 25. This area is unfavorably situated in re and the 1945 flood accounted for sufficient river re lation to natural r~~barge. A bedrock barrier to the charge to cause a rise in water levels of about 10 feet. w 0 440 t=" 435 ::Effi li; 430 3 ~ oct >-3 "' ttl 425 ~ ::tl :; ::tl IIJ ttl 420 i!:; ~ ...I c::: cr ::tl 415 ~ Q Ul z 0 410 ~ l:!:j :::IE >-3 IIJ ::r: 405 > ttl 0 t"' IP 0 cr c::: 40o::; En IIJ < LL. -t"' 395 z t"' - tr! £ ~ 390 1 I I ---- I I I \J I -i I -+- \11., \'11cr \\, "'''1f \'\~\j, ~' ' 011)1\\ "~ ~y\ ~~\~7 385 ~ ~ ~ -+----r------1------I • I I • I I \I I \ I I \ I I I \ J I '• J I \ I 1380 __ I 1.1 lJI. • I~ ______J ----1---1--t - II ~ I • I ._ • 1• ol _ •I L _. • - I 1111: 1.. 1 I U I r • • • •II • :lol I 37~ Figure 24.-Precipitation, river level, and water-table elevation in downtown Louisville, 1937-52. GROUND WATER 31 ....1 11.1 20~------+------+------4------~------~------t------t------i------1------j395 ~ Well 46-14-9 ....1 14th and GollogherSt <( 11.1 ~------~~~~~------~~------4------+------t------r------i------i------1390 ° z <( 11.1 ~ 385 11.1 > 0 ID ~------~------~------4------+---_)~~~~~~~~--~~~~~~j-~~---t---~---~ 380 <( 1- 11.1 11.1 IL. ~------~------+------+------~------~------r------~------t------t------~ 375 ~ z 0 10 i= z <( ~en > 1-11.1 11.1 <(% ....1 t-o 11.1 ~~ 5 t::z o::- a. 0 Figure 25. -Pumpage, precipitation, and water-table elevation, in the west~central area of Louisville, 1943-52. After the war, reduced pumpage permitted water levels The graph for well 47-12-4 shows the effects of arti to recover to about river level in 1948 and 1949. Re ficial recharge of city water by Joseph E. Seagram & activation oi several plants in 1949 caused an increase Sons, Inc. , in the spring of each year from 1944 to in pumpage and a moderate decline in water levels, a 1947. In 1949 and 1950, the plant operated on city decline which is still in progress. water during the winter, which allowed recovery of water levels by natural recharge. In the southern part of the Rubbertown area, pump age was not greatly reduced after the war. Water Jeffersonville. --Figure 28 presents a water-level I eve ls in this area have not varied greatly since 1946, graph for a well in the older of two well fields supply as shown by the graph for well 51-12-6. ing the city. The well field at lOth and Fulton Streets was used prior to 1944. In that year, new wells were Distillery area: --The hydrograph for well 46-11-2, installed at Arctic Springs, near the river. The pump near the valley wall southeast of the heavily pumped ing load was shifted to the new field in 1944, as indi area, shows effects of recharge by precipitation cated by the approximate pumpage graph. As needs in (fig. 27). creased, the pumpage at the lOth and Fulton field was gradually increased. The hydrograph shows a sub The water level in well 47-12-1, in the heavily stantial recovery during 1944-1947 (reflecting the re pumped area, shows a decline of about 35 feet during duced pumpage) 1 since 1950, it shows a decline (re-: 1940-44 (a period of very high pumpage). Reduction of fleeting the increased pumpage). pumpage in 1944 is reflected in a rise of water levels. Since 1946, water levels have recovered about 5 feet. 32 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA (/) 450 z 0 ::::; ~~ 445 0 ~a:: -UJ UJQ. 440 (!)(/) ~~ ~::J 435 ~ ~~ UJ a::O~LL. ~ UJ 430 !B.., ~ 0 <( t\1 425 ~ ..1 420~ ILl ..1 415~ (/) z 410<( ILl :! 405~ 0 a:a <( 400t- ILl ILl u. 395 2 z" Q(/) ~UJ t-:Z: §;~ u u.lza:: Q. Figure 26.-Pumpage, precipitation, river level, and water-table elevation in the "Rubbertown" area, 1941-52. I I I ~ffi?LAVm0~hffff?V#~;ff7'7f"'&///f///J'1 I I I I I I I ~4:35 II I I I I " I if\ I I I I I I I I 1415 ~ 0 > ~ w 0 ..I c: 410 4 I I I I I I \ I I I ~ I ~~ I 1 w z (J) ~ z 4 ~ w >-1 2 l:lj Dixie H\ghwoy at Rj'ph ~ I I I I I Ave.~~ I ~~ / }-\: __ ~-"JA; YA =r A 1 Al40o ~ ID c:( ..,: w w "- ; ZA 2 ~ 4 > zol I I I I I I I I ' II Y 1:1 I I I I I 380 ~ Well 47-12-4 ----1 ,I I I I I I I I I 4J 1 -T ------~--- I I 375 I I I I I I w w Figure 27.-Pumpage, precipitation, and water-table elevation in the Distillery area of Louisville, 1937-52. 34 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA 3.0L-______L ______L______L ______L______-L------~------~------~------~------~ ILl 20 1 (.) n ii! 0:: ~ 22 l A fl A n 0 z <( (\ ..J ) 1\ J \A 24 I\! v \ r ~'\ A 3= Well I 3 IV 9 lOth and Fulton Sts V" V ILl ~1,1 II) j 1- 26 J v \ N ILl N ILl vvv lL \. ~ 28 1/ f\..11 ..J ILl > ILl (\ ..J \A 30 '\ v 0: ILl ~ _) VJ ~ 32 1\ 34 J 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Figure 28. -Pumpage and water-table elevation at Jeffersonville public supply. 1943-52. GLACIAL OUTWASH GLACIAL OUTWASH Quality of Ground Water Stitzel- Weller Distillery Louisville Gas and Electric Co. Ralph Avenue Bell's Lane 400 f---..:______The glacial outwash deposits that underlie the river valley furnish nearly all the large ground-water sup plies i.n the area; usually, only small supplies, insuf-. ficient for industrial use, are found in the outlying areas. For this reason, this report is limited to the quality of water in the glacial-outwash deposits and to 1200 water in the underlying limestones. GLACIAL OUTWASH LIMESTONE BEDROCK J. V. Pilcher Co. Brown - Forman Distillery East Gray Street 19th and Howard Streets Chemical analyses of water from many wells in the ~ 1000 ...1 glacial-outwash region have been made annually since ...1 sa 1944 by the U.S. Geological Survey. Locations of 800 these wells are shown on plate 2. The water. is gener ~ "'0.. ally of the calcium bicarbonate type with varying a Water from the limestones. --The limestones that compose part of the bedrock in this region have under 200 gone extensive solutional development where they underlie the river valley. Most W~ells drilled into the limestone have yielded water that is more highly min eralized than that from the glacial outwash, and some of these wells have been abandoned. Selected analyses of water from limestone wells in use are shown in table 4 and presented graphically in figure 29. It is probable that the water pumped from the few rock wells of better quality is coming directly from the Figure 29. --Chemical character of selected ground waters of the Louisville area. Table 4. -chemical quality of water from selected wells in the Louisville area. [Chemical results in parts per million] Hardness as CaCO, Specific Well Manga- Cal- Mag- So- Potas~ Bicar- Sul- Chlo- Fluo- Ni- Dis- conduct- Designation Source Date Silica Iron nese cium nesium dium slum bonate fate ride ride trate solved Non- ance pH Color (Plate 2) (1952) (SiC)z) (Fe) '(Mn) (Ca) (Mg) (Na) (K) (HCO,) (SO.&) (Cl) (F) {NO,) solids Ca, Mg carbon- (micromhos ate at 25"C.) Wells in glacial outwash A Louisville Gas & Electric Company Dec. 18 16 0.44 o. 73 134 27 11 1.1 388 135 12 0,1 o. 0 532 448 127 798 7. 6 1 B Louisville Gas & Electric Company (No. 2) Dec,11 13 .. 16 ,00 58 14 11 1.9 164 59 19 .2 .o 254 200 68 434 7.6 0 c Stitzel Weller Distillery, Inc. Dec. 12 18 1.3 1. 0 138 28 6.1 2. 2 368 159 10 .o • 0 547 460 158 800 7. 7 1 D J. V. Pilcher Manufacturing Company Dec, 18 18 • 23 • 00 208 41 62 10 448 275 76 .2 74 990 690 326 1,420 7,6 1 E Louisville Refining Company Dec. 12 15 7.2 1.4 148 36 21 2.5 484 118 27 .o .o 614 520 121 931 7.6 1 F Kaufman Brothers Dec. 10 15 .19 .00 80 23 8.2 2.0 322 33 6.0 ,2 17 326 296 30 550 7. 7 1 G Stoll Oil Refining Company Dec. 18 12 .49 .48 46 8. 7 14 2.1 122 60 20 .2 .o 220 150 51 372 7.9 4 H Indiana Gas & Water Company (Arctic Springs) Aug. 4 14 .43 .00 68 21 13 2.4 256 45 19 .2 2.3 319 256 46 544 7.3 3 I Roberts & Strack Venner Company Aug. 5 19 ,08 .00 64 22 5.4 .8 228 47 11 .2 22 296 250 63 507 7.5 2 J Barth Leather Company Aug. 5 23 .27 .41 156 47 63 3.2 455 209 83 .1 23 857 585 210 1,300 7.0 5 K Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Works July 23 16 .11 .00 130 50 36 4.1 492 151 31 .o 24 683 528 127 1,090 7.1 3 L Indiana Gas & Water Company (lOth & Fulton) July 21 22 .20 1.1 122 46 27 2.4 449 147 24 .1 4.3 642 495 126 983 6,9 2 M Oscar Ewing Dairy Aug. 15 -- .98 ------586 276 70 • 0 10 -- 720 -- 1,490 -- -- N Oertel Brewing Company, Inc. Aug. 15 -- .08 ------405 76 39 .o 10 -- 382 -- 874 -- -- Wells in limestone p Brown-Forman Distillers Corp. Dec. 11 23 .29 1.1 156 39 13 2.0 420 213 12 .4 . 0 674 550 205 951 6.9 1 (Early Times Plant) Q Brown-Forman Distillers Corp. Dec. 17 18 5.6 2.3 264 79 28 3.6 534 531 30 .1 .o 1,264 985 546 1,570 7. 5 1 (Old Forester Plant) 0 R Tube Turns Aug. 14 -- 6.0 ------605 407 45 .1 .1 -- 895 -- 1,580 -- -- !;lJ s Fall City Brewing Company Aug. 12 -- a18 ------567 462 73 .o .1 -- 860 -- 1,720 -- -- 0 T Schott Dairy Company Aug. 12 -- 6. 0 ------354 2.9 198 .4 .2 -- 206 -- 1,130 -- -- c:::: '---- ~ t:J a Total in solution and in sediment. :E .,:;t> I::J:j !;lJ w C11 36 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA SCAI.E I 0 I I! MiLES ~~~------'-----·--' EXPLANATION D Shale bedrock ~ Limestone bedrock Character of bedrock not shown for area southeast of boundary of glacial outwash \.~EXPLANATION BEDROCK DRIFT HARON ESS (Co, Mg) . WELL WELL 01 CaC05 (Porte per million) D 0 15 ~. 200 ~ ~ 201 ·350 [] () 351 ·500 ~ a 501 ·6M • • 651 + Figure 30.-Map of the Louisville area showing hardness of ground waters, 1952. GROUND WATER 37 available for the Louisville area, but because of the giacial outwash. Averagehardness of water from 15 many variables, a clear explanation of the fluctuations limestone wells, sampled annually since 1944, is 580 in quality at many pLaces cannot be made. ppm. Water from the sand and gravel. --The quality of the Over a short period of time, water from most of the water in the sand and gravel (glacial outwash) varies wells shows considerable change in quality. The medi over the area, and in any particular area it may an of the hardness of 21 wells is shown on figure 31. change appreciably with time. The water is generally A general increase in hardness through 1948 is evident, very hard, high in bicarbonate, and contains dissolved since that time, the trend has been toward a softer and solids ranging from 250 to more than 1, 000 ppm. In correspondingly less mineralized water. 1952, the median hardness of water from wells in sand and gravel was 475 ppm. Sulfate ranged between 28 Wells in the extreme northeastern and southwestern and 869 ppm. Chemical data for the waters frol;ll rep parts of the glacial-outwash areas have small fluctua resentative wells of the area are given in table 4. tions in quality. However, the four principal areas of Figure 29 illustrates the chemical character of the pumping (fig. 39) have much greater fluctuations in water found in the glacial outwash. quality. The marked lowering of the water table in the downtown area (fig. 24) has induced increasing amouRts There appears to be a correlation between the type of river water into the aquifer. Wells farther from the of bedrock and the quality of the water in the sands river are being affected; an example of this is the well and gravels above it. Shales overlie the limestones in at the Seelbach Hotel (fig. 31). This well produced a part of the area, and because the shales are nearly very hard water from 1944 through 1947, averaging 707 impervious, they impede transmission of water to, or ppm of hardness. However, after 1947, the well began from, the underlying limestone. Thus, in areas of pumping increasing amounts of softer river water, and shale bedrock, the outwash receives very little water the hardness fell steadily until, in 1952, the hardness from below, but in areas of limestone bedrock the was 228 ppm. Proceeding from the river toward the harder, highly mineralized water is discharged up eastern border of the glacial-outwash deposits, the ward. For this reason, water in outwash over the water becomes progressively harder and higher in min limestone isharder, and it contains larger amounts of eral content, except in the northeast and southwest sec dissolved solids than water in outwash overlying shale tions. Wells along the outwash boundry, ~uch as that bedrock. This fact is pointed out in figure 30. The at the J. V. Filcher Manufacturing Co., have remained wells in sand and gravel that were sampled in 1952 had relatively stable in quality (fig. 31). a median hardness of 642 ppm over the limestone bed rock and 470 ppm over the shales (omitting analyses Most of the water from the wells sampled in the west of water from wells known to be pumping appreciable central industrial area is drawn from the limestone bed quantities of infiltrated river water). rock. The water levels in this area have also declined appreciably, and the water has become increasingly Effects of river water infiltration. --In general, harder as more water is taken from the bedrock. The wells along the Ohio River show less hardness and dis well at the Brown-Forman Distillers Corp., shown in solved mineral matter than those in the remainder of figure 31, is representative of many of the rock wells the area, thus reflecting the effect of river floods in this area. It shows the marked upward trend in hard forcing water into the aquifer and of induced recharge ness, with somewhat of a leveling effect in the past few caused by the lowering of ground-water levels by heavy years. The water pumped from the glacial outwash in pumpage. In 1952, the Ohio River had an average this area ranged between 615 and 1, 360 ppm of hard hardness of 146 ppm and a dissolved solids content ness. This extreme hardness probably is caused by the considerably less than that of the ground water. Nor mineralized water entering the outwash from the mally, the dilution effects of river-water infiltration limestone. diminishes rapidly as the distance from the river in creases. The effect is noticeable only 400 to 500 feet The average hardness of several wells in outwash in froin the river, except where water backs up tributary the distillery area is shown in figure 31. The reasons streams during floods. However, its effect is more for the fluctuations are not clear, but pumpage seems pronounced in the areas between the river and the to have an indirect relationship to hardness. It is pos "Rubbertown" area and downtown area. Heavy pump sible that when heavier pumping lowers the water ing has lowered the water table, and the steep gradient levels, softer water overlying the adjoining shale bed in these areas induces the inflow of large quantities of rock areas flows into the distillery area. river water. Wells in these sections draw a large pro portion of their water from the river, and the pumped The Rubbertown area shows the effects of induced water approaches the average qualityof that from the infiltration from the Ohio River. The wells along the river .. Examples can be seen in figure 30. river yield water similar to that found in the river, whereas quality of water from wells away from the Variations in quality. --There are many variables in river varies with the pumpage. As the pumpage in determining the quality of ground water in the area. creases, more river water is induced into the area, The entire region was saturated with river water dur and the quality becomes progressively better. However, ing the flood of 1937. This recent saturation, pumping some time lag in the correlation of the infiltration and variations with corresponding water-level fluctuations, pumpage has been noted. The average of several wells induced river-water infiltration, recharge of city (fig. 31) shows a general increase in hardness through water, sewer-and water-line leakage, and other fac 1950 and a trend toward softer W'lter thereafter. This tors, are the cause of many of the local fluctuations. corresponds with the pumpage in the Rubbertown area, A comparatively large amount of ground-water data is which generally decreased from 1944 through 1949 and increased steadily thereafter (fig. 26). 38 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA Temperature of Ground Water In the summer, when river level is low and tempera ture is high, the amount of recharge is smaller. Just The temperature of ground water has been measured north of the Rubbertown area, the small range of tem monthly since 1944 in 17 wells, ,and it has been meas perature indicates that the hydraulic connection between ured several times annually in about 130 wells. Meas the river and the aquifer is poor. · urements were taken at 5 -foot intervals of depth in each well by means of an electrical-resistance ther An example of the temperature of infiltrated water is mometer. The averages of the readings are reported. given in figure 33. These thermographs are from rec ords at a Ranney collector on the river's edge at :Sells Average ground-water temperature in the area is Lane in the Rubbertown area. The installation is a con about 58° F. In areas away from the river, the annual crete caisson resting on bedrock and equipped with hor temperature change is only a few degrees above or be izontal screens extending radially in all directions. low the average (fig. 32). Along the river north of Water entering the unit through various laterals has Louisville the range is 52° F to 66° F, the lowest tem temperature characteristics reflecting the seasonal perature being recorded in summer and the highest in changes in river temperature but having substantial winter. River water entering the aquifer has a season differences in temperature range and time lag. al range of about 32° to 85° F. Because of the heat ex change with the sand and gravel under the river bed, the range is greatly reduced by the time the water PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES reaches the we Us. An elapsed time of 6 to 8 months is required for the high and low temperatures of the The area is served by four public water systems, river to be reflected in these particular wells, two using Ohio River water and two using ground water. These systems are described briefly below: In the Rubbertown area, the temperature range of ·well water is 47° to 64° F. The fact that the tempera City of Louisville ture range is wider than that north of the city and that the average temperature is below the average for the The Louisville Water Company is incorporated as a Louisville area, is explained by seasonal variation in private company, but all stock is owned by the city of river stage and regulation at the navigation dam. A Louisville. This company serves the area within the bove the dam, a constant pool elevation is maintained, Louisville city limits, and in addition, it sells to in except during floods exceeding the capacity of the dividuals, cities, and water districts outside the city movable dam. Below the dam, the stage fluctuates limits. Principal outside communities being served with moderate floods and through a greater range. are: Anchorage, Audubon Park, Buechel, Fern Creek, The range from pool level to maximum flood is 41 feet Jeffersontown, Middletown, Okolona, St. Matthews, in the upper pool and 78 feet in the lower pool. Be and Shively. cause floods normally occur in winter and spring, a large amount of recharge from the river occurs in the Water is obtained from the Ohio Rl.ver at a pumping Rubbertown area during periods of low temperature. plant at Zorn Avenue northeast of the city. The raw 900 z g __ p·still~~ ..---·--·-- ~ a,!\ ,;_.-.- d 800 "f o-rrD-_. ::..-· ~ 13_!-'!r-=---- 0:: __ , /r-- / fil -- ~ ./·· ~ ...... 700 ·-· I (/). ~ ,/ -~...... //' ' ,/ J. V. Pilcher M E-< ~·/ .~ ...... -~ ~ .~ r----==: anufacturing Co 1944 1945 19·'!6 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 100 Figure 31. -Trends in hardness of ground-water in the Louisville area. PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES 39 SCALE -~~ Sampled well, Upper number shows maximum tempera ture, lower number shows minimum tempe roture Figure 32. -Map of the Louisville area showing maximum and minimum temperatures of ground water, 1945-52. 40 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA 90r------.------r------.------r------.------.------,------.-~--~~------.------, 1945 1946 1947 1948 Figure 33. -Temperature characteristics of infiltrated river water (data from Ranney collector at Bells Lane). water is pumped about 2 miles to the Crescent Hill fil The plant has a rated capacity of 4 mgd. Storage in tration plant on Frankfort Avenue. cludes 22 million gallons of raw water and 1. 5 million gallons of finished water. Treatment consists of sedimentation, prechlorina tion, coagulation with alum (sometimes with sodium Average consumption in 1952 was 3. 5 mgd. Estimat aluminate), softening with lime and soda ash, clarifi ed population se.rved was 30, 000. cation, recarbonation, rapid sand filtration, post chlorination, fluoridation (with sodium silicofluoride), ammoniation, and adjustment of pH (when not soften Jeffersonville, Indiana ing)with lime. When necessary, activated carbon and chlorine dioxide are used for taste and odor control. The Jeffersonville system is owned and operated by the Indiana Gas and Water Company. It serves the city The rated capacity of the plant is 80 mgd (limited by of Jeffersonville, part of Clarksville, and Lincoln' sof~ening plant); filtration capacity, when not softening, Heights. is 120 mgd. Steps to increase the plant capacity are now under way. Storage includes 131 million gallons of raw water and 57.8 million gallons of finished water. Average consumption in 1952 was 67.9 mgd or about MAXIMUM 150 gpd per capita for an estimated population served ~ of 450,000. The maximum daily pumpage in 1951 was 90. 9 million gallons. The finished water is of good chemical quality. z g Hardness is moderate, averaging 106 ppm in 1952, be ....l cause the water is softened during periods of exces ....l SE sive hardness of the river water. The total solids av ~ 300~------eraged 249 ppm (237 determinations). The bicarbonate p.. of the river water is low; it averaged 31 ppm in 1952. Cf.l The principal constituent is calcium sulfate. The qual E-< ~ ity of the Louisville public supply is illustrated in p.. 20(1~------figure 34. New Albany, Indiana The New Albany water system is owned and operat ed by the Indiana Gas and Water Company. It serves the city of New Albany and parts of Clarksville. 0 til 0u 0 .., u OJ ! Q a! ~ ~ ~ ::! u Water is pumped from the Ohio River at Ninth and s Q) Q) Q) '0 ., s o; -:;; Cf.l a! Floyd Streets to the treatment plant at Silver Hills. -~ <: <: "'·;:: ., ·~ Q) 0 0 0 3 <: .0 .0 0 "'Q) 01 bJl k :a E-< <: u CIS ; u u t- k Treatment consists of sedimentation; slow sand fil ;s .~ "'a! rf1 "' :r:: tration; and alum, soda-ash, and chlorine treatment. "' In summer, temporary treatment includes copper sul fate and carbon, or of carbon only. Figure 34. -Maximum and average of several con stituents of the Louisville public water supply, 1952. . PRESENT USE OF WATER 41 An analysi~ for water from each well field is given in table 4 (items H and L). Hardness of 256 ppm at Artie Springs probably reflects infiltration of river water. The hardness at the lOth and Fulton Streets well field was 495 ppm. Louisville Extension Water District The Louisville Extension Water District is a water ~ district serving the area in Jefferson County between a:: w Dixie Highway and the Ohio River and from Louisville a.. and Shively city limits southward to Kosmosdale. 1/) z This district also furnished water to the Auburndale 0 .J Water District lying south of Louisville and east of .J Cl Dixie Highway. (!) IL 0 Water is obtained from two wells in glacial-outwash 1/) z material located near Bethany Lane and Lower River 2 Road. The only treatment is chlorination. An analysis .J .J of this water in August 1952 showed a hardness of i 243 ppm and dissolved solids of 262 ppm. The rated capacity is about 2 mgd. Raw storage is 0. 2 million gallons and storage of finished water is 1 million gallons. Average consumption in 1952 was 0. 4 mgd. PRESENT USE OF WATER Public Supplies During 1952, public water-supply systems iri the Louisville metropolitan area used 74, 2 mgd, of which 71.4 mgd was from the Ohio River and 2. 8 mgd was from wells. Figure 35 shows the use by public supplies classified as to ownership, source of water, and type of use._ PUBLIC SUPPLY SOURCE TYPE OF USE Pumpage from the Ohio Ri~er by the Louisville Figure 35. -Source and use of water from public Water Co. for the period ~860-1952 is shown on figure supplies in Louisville area, 1952. 36, The following data is also given: the maximum amount daily delivered to the mains for domestic, commercial, and industrial use; leakage and losses; The supply is obtained from two well fields. The and use by the company in back-washing filters and older field, at lOth and Fulton Streets, consists of operation of hydraulic pumps. Industrial and com 37 wells. The second field of two wells is located at mercial use prior to 1948 was estimated; after 1948, Artie Springs, near the Ohio River. The only treat records were computed by electric card-punch ma ment is chlorination. Plant capacity is about 3 mgd; chines, and therefore they are much more accurate. storage is 0. 5 million gallons. Average consumption in 1952 was 2. 4 mgd. Estimated population served Records of yearly pumpage of ground water by the was 20,000. Indiana Gas and Water Co. (supplying the Jefferson- 42 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA EXPLANATION 90 1------+-- > CJ) z g 70 1-----+---- Industrial ....J • Average daily ~ 60 Commercial ....I ....I ~ 50 .___---+- z Domestic UJ (!) ~40~--4----+----~---~----4-----+--r--ar---~~~~~ ~ ::> Q.. ~30~----~-----4------~-----4------+---+~------+-----~~~~~ <3: 0 ~20~----~----+-----~----~--~-+-----+-----4------~~~~ 0 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 Figure 36. -Pumpaga from the Ohio River by Louisville Water Co., 186Q-1952. PRESENT USE OF WATER 43 cal plants and by the Louisville Gas and Electric Co. Table 5 shows that the amount thus used ranged from 356.9 mgd in 1946 to 659. 1 mgd in 1952. Ground water. --Ground water is used extensively for cooling purposes by industries in the Louisville area because of its nearly uniform temperature, which is lower than that of surface water in the sum mer. Table 6 lists the use by types of industry for years 1937-52. Inspection of this table shows the large increases in water use during the war in the alcohol and chemical industries and shows the reductions brought about by conservation in 1945 and 1946. Figure 38 shows the annual ground-water pumpage for indus trial use during the period 1937-52. This illustration indicates the amounts pumped from the sand and gravel formation and also from the limestone bedrock. The annual pumpage since 1946 has been less than prewar pumpage, despite the fact that a large industrial ex pansion has taken place. This shows the effects of conservation of water beginning in 1944, and it shows > the effects of additional conservation encouraged by c 0 the sewer-rental law. ~2 Nearly all the industrial pumping is in the Ohio (It z River valley. Distribution of pumping is shown on 31.5~-r--r--r--+--+--+--+==~~T.T,~~T.T,~~~~~ figure 39. ci t!) Irrigation and rural supplies. --Supplemental irri ~1.0~~~~~~~47~~~~~~~~~7+~V77Y~ gation is practiced on some truck farms south and :::i ..J southwest of Louisville. Although the annual precipi i tation is well above needs for agriculture, distribution ~Q.II\t:h~~~~;..w:J-'h'J::vu• .. v"n:r D~;811.;r:~:~~~~~~ during the summer does not always provide adequate aJ water for crops. Dry periods of a few weeks during t!) <( July and August may seriously affect truck crops. ~ 2 Ground water is used for irrigation on an intermittent ::> ~ basis. The pumpage for this use-during a year aver ages about a quarter million gallons per day. In areas not served by public supplies, rural house Figure 37. -Ground-water pumpage for municipal use, holds depend on wells, springs, and cisterns. In the 1938-52. flood-plain areas,· driven wells produce adequate water. In the limestone areas, drilled wells normally meet the needs, although shortages occur in dry sum ville system) and by the Louisville Extension Water mers. In the shaly areas, cisterns are predominate. District are shown on figure 37. In the rural areas, particularly in Jefferson County, farm ponds are used extensively to provide water for stock. The density of ponds in eastern Jefferson Private Industrial Use County, as determined from topographic maps, is a bol)t one for each 150 acres. Surface water. --Large quantities of raw water from the Ohio River are used for cooling by several chemi- Table 5, -Use of untreated river water for cooling purposes, 1944-52 (Million gallons per day) Year 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Chemical plants 94.9 80. 1 30.9 21. 2 23.3 26.8 39. 1 106.8 85.5 Electric 384.8 384.8 326.0 339.6 407.7 399.9 470.5 528.3 573.5 Total 479.7 464.9 356.9 360.8 431.0 426.7 509.6 635. 1 659. 1 44 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA Table 6. -Estimated average daily net withdrawals of ground water by industries in the Louisville metropolitan area, 1937-52 [Artificial recharge has been deducted from total withdrawal to obtain net withdrawal in millions of gallons per day] Industrial plants 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 194~ 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Rubber and chemical manufacturing -:- - - - 19.6 47.2 58. 1 61. 9 26.4 9.7 7. 1 7. 7 8.2 9.8 11. 7 12.0 Distilling 6.3 6.2 6.6 10.6 15.0 16.8 17.3 9. 7 8.5 4.7 6.2 4,0 4.2 4.8 6.0 3. 7 Brewing 5.3 5.6 5.3 5.2 4. 1 4. 1 3.8 3. 6 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.5 3.2 3.5 3.5 3.3 Public supply . 7 . 7 . 7 . 8 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.8 2. 1 2. 1 2.4 2.8 Air conditioning 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.7 3. 7 3.7 3.5 3.3 3.2 3.0 2.8 2.9 2.7 Oil refining 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.7 4.6 4.6 3.9 4.2 3.0 3.4 3.2 2.9 2.9 3.0 3. 1 2.6 Miscellaneous 2.9 2. 9 2.8 3. 1 3.4 3.4 3.7 3.5 3.5 2.4 .2. 5 2.2 2.0 2. 1 1.8 2.0 Meat packing 2.4 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.6 2.5 2.0 2. 1 2.0 1.8 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.3 Metal working 2.2 2.2 2.3 2.4 4. 1 4.3 4.0 3.8 3.3 3.6 3.6 3.2 2.8 1.8 1.2 1.0 Ice making 4,6 4.6 4.6 4.7 4. 1 3.7 3.4 3.3 2.6 3.6 2.7 2. 1 1.2 . 9 . 9 . 9 Tobacco processing 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.2 1.9 1.7 1.2 . 9 • 9 . 5 1.2 1.4 . 7 . 6 . 6 • 6 Dairying 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.0 1.7 1.4 1.5 . 9 . 9 . 5 'Irrigation and farming . 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 • 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 . 6 . 5 . 5 • 5 Food manufacturing . 7 1.0 1.5 1.3 1.1 . 9 . 8 . 7 •. 6 . 6 • 5 • 5 • 2 . 2 . 1 • 1 Gas and electric . 8 • 9 . 8 . 8 . 8 • 8 .9 . 8 . 9 . 9 . 9 . 9 • 9 .4 . 2 • 1 Total 40.2 40.9 41. 1 44.8 69.0 97.8 107. 1 102.5 63.0 42. 1 39.6 36.5 34.5 34.4 36.8 34. 1 120r----r----r---~----r---~--~----~--~----~--~----~--~----~--~----.----. from lis in rock >- <( 0 umpage from wells in sand and grovel a: UJ 0. (/) z 0 ....I ...J <( C) 60 1L 0 (/) z 0 3 ....I ~ 20 Figure 38.-Ground-water pumpage in the Louisville metropolitan area, 1937-52. PRESENT USE OF WATER 45 SCALE ~~....___~wOc.._ ____.._ ___ _..:;2 MILES ...... ------...... "-.....' '\' I,, I i'J.,_ ~ EXPLANATION 0.5• MGD I MGD 2 MGD 4MGD 5 MGD 6 MGO Figure 39.-Distribution of ground-water pumpage in the Louisville area, 1952. 46 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA Table 7. -Summary of use of water in the Summary of Use Louisville metropolitan area, 1952 A summary of use of water for the metropolitan [Million gallons per day) area for 1952 is given in table 7. This table shows the amounts pumped from ground water and from the Type of use Ohio River and shows how the water was used. Source and type of supply Industrial Figure 40 summarizes total use classified as to Domestic and Total source and type of supply. commercial Surface water POTENTIAL SUPPLY Public supply 17,6 53.8 71.4 Industrial cooling The potential supply of water in the area is very (chemical) - 85.6 85,6 large compared to present use. The flow of the Ohio Industrial cooling River is so large that it over-shadows other sources. (electric) - 573.5 573.5 Surface Water Total surface water 17.6 712.9 730.5 An exact evaluation of the potential of the Ohio Grou"'ld water River is difficult to make. Because of low-water reg Public supply 1.0 1. 8 2.8 ulation and effects of new dams being constructed in Private industrial - 30.8 30.8 the basin upstream, it is probabl~ that low flows in Irrigation and farming - . 5 • 5 the future will be higher than those observed in the past. The minimum daily flow for a recurrence inter Total ground water 1. 0 33. 1 34,1 val of 20 years (fig. 7) is about 2, 600 mgd (4, 000 cfs). This value has been used in constructing figure 41, Total all sources 18.6 746.0 764.6 which shows that present use is about 730 mgd (1, 130 cfs) or 28 percent of the potential. Most of the water used is returned to the river and is available for reuse downstream. therefore. the value of potential use has Fluctuation of Water Use Water use in the area fluctuates seasonally, being highest in summer and lowest in winter. In 1951, monthly pumpage by the four public systems ranged from 62. 1 mgd in the winter to 82. 9 mgd in the summer. > <1 Except for a few types of industry, industrial use 0 is not seasonal, but is related to the activity of the ...,a:: plants. Most of the plants have been operating at a fl. fairly steady rate, and water use remains nearly con ~ 500 0 stant. The distilleries, which operated intermittently .J .J during 1952, are an exception. Other exceptions are Use of river water for cooling purposes is nearly constant atJhe largest steam-electric plant. At the smaller plants, use varies according to the needs for power and operation of the hydro plant at the dam. Seasonal use of river water for cooling purposes, which averaged 659. 1 mgd in 1952, ranged from about 866 mgd in summer to about 446 mgd in winter. Figure 40. -Summary of water use in the Louisville metropolitan area, 1952. WATER LAWS 47 GROUND because of the high elevation of the bedrock. The total SURFACE WATER WATER ground-water supplies that might be developed in the metropolitan area is estimated as about 450 mgd. Use in 1952 of 34, 2 mgd is 8 percent of the available supply. WATER·LAWS The two main sources of water supply in the Louis ville area are the Ohio River and the ground waters underlying the flood plain of the Ohio River. Other water-supplies in the area consist almost entirely of individual well supplies from consolidated ro..:k forma tions and cisterns. Water laws affecting the use of Ohio River waters are the Federal regulations related to navigation and flood control and the pollution criteria as established by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, which are carried out by the individual states. Basic laws on water-use in both Indiana and Kentucky is the common law-riparian rights for surface water and quasi..:riparian rights for ground water (modified in Indiana by the 1951 law; see page 48). Provisions of legislative acts empower individual agencies of both states to regulate pollution of public water supplies, treatment of water supplies, and encroachments on streams. Figure 41. -Comparison of water use in 1952 with estimated potential supply. Federal Laws Congress has established Federal control of the little practical application except to demonstrate that navigable waters of this co.untry; including those non present use is only a small percent of that available. navigable tributary streams which may have an effect The limiting factor on total use will probably be con on the navigable capacity of the waterways. This con trolled by temperature and pollution by chemical trol, as well as flood-control activities, has been gen wastes rather than by flow rates. erally placed with the Corps of Engineers. Department of the Army. The .flow of small streams is not considered im portant in future development of the area because of For the Ohio River bordering Kentucky. from near the relatively small annual yield of the streams, and Maysville to the mouth of the river. jurisdiction for because summer flows are extremely small, navigation and flood control is vested in the Louisville District. Corps of Engineers. Proposed encroach ments on the Ohio River in that reach of the stream Ground Water are cleared through the Louisville District office. Available ground-water supplies have been evaluat ed in detail on the Kentucky side of the river. North Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission east of Louisville, the potential is about 280 mgd in a 6-mile strip along the river between Harrods Creek The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and Zorn Avenue. This water, if developed, would was established in 1948 as a result of an eight-state not be an independent supply but would come from the compact signed by the States of Indiana, Illinois, Ken river by induced infiltration and would be suitable for tucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia,· and industrial or domestic use. In the parts of Louisville West Virginia. The Commission is empowered to where ground-water supplies are being used, the study pollution conditions in the Ohio River Valley and present use of about 30 mgd is about in balance with to direct efforts toward abatement. State participation recharge from rainfall and river infiltration. This is effected through representation of three Commis could be increased somewhat by additional develop sioners from each State and a technical representative ment of river infiltration in a few places. Southwest from each State on the Engineering Committee of the. of Louisville, the supply available in the sand and Commission, and through the direct responsibility for gravel is estimated as about 12 mgd. River infiltra securing action from municipalities and industries by tion of about 40 mgd could be developed. Detailed data means of State pollution control agencies. are not available for the Indiana side of the river. Very large supplies were developed during the war at the Indiana Ordnance Works near Charlestown by in Kentu~ky Law duced infiltration. Northeast of Jeffersonville, addi tional supplies can probably be developed near the The Water Pollution Control Commission for Ken river. The area north of Utica Pike is not considered tucky was established in the Department of Health in as being favorable for development of large supplies 1950 by an Act of the Kentucky Legislature. In general 48 WATER RESOURCES OF THE LOUISVILLE AREA terms, the Act directs the Commission "---to develop Grover, Nathan C., 1938, Floods of Ohio and Missis a comprehensive program for the prevention, control, sippi Rivers, January-February 1937, with a section and abatement of water pollution throughout the Com on the flood deposits of the Ohio River, January-· monwealth." The Commission is directed to establish February 1937 by G. R. Mansfield: U. S. Geol. standards of water quality and rules and regulations Survey Water-Supply Paper 838. for the prevention, control, and abatement of pollution, Guyton, W. F., 1944, Artificial recharge of ground to issue orders for remedial measures, including water reservoir with water from city's surface treatment works, and to pass on all plans for disposal supply at Louisville, Ky. Prepared by the U. S. or treatment works. The Commission is empowered Geol. Survey in cooperation with the Kentucky Dept. to institute court proceedings to enforce compliance. of Mines and Minerals, Geol. Div. The Act provides that the Commission shall consist of Guyton, W. F., 1945, Depleted wells at Louisville the Commissioners of Health and Conservation, the recharged with city water: Water Works Eng. Attorney General, the Director of Division of Game -, 1946, Artificial recharge of glacial sand and and Fish, and two members at large representing in gravel with filtered river water at Louisville, Ken dustr·ial and municipal groups, respectively. tucky: Econ. Geology, v. 41, no. 6, p. 644-658. Guyton, W. F., Stuart, W. T., and Maxey, G. B., The Flood Control and Water Usage Board was es 1944, Progress report on the ground-water re tablished in the Department of Conservation in 1948 sources of the Louisville are?, Kentucky. by an Act of the Kentucky Legislature. As defined by Prepared by the U. S. Geol. Survey in cooperation this Act, the Board is directed to function as the offi with the Kentucky Dept. of Mines and Minerals, cial state agency to study and review all flood control Geol. Div. and the c:ity·of Louisville. projects and projects affecting the municipal or indus Guyton, W. F. ~ and Sublett, H. E. , 1944, Conserva trial usage of water, to have jurisdiction over all tion of ground water in the Louisville area, Kentucky. stream encroachments except drainage for agricultural Prepared by the U. S. Geol. Survey in cooperation purposes, and to make studies and investigations for with the Kentucky Dept. of Mines and Minerals, flood control and for municipal and industrial use of Geol. Div. the water resources. The Board, appointed by the Hagan, Wallace W., 1943, Electrical earth resistivity Governor, is composed of one representative from surveys in vicinity of New Albany, Indiana. Manu each Congressional district. script report in files of U.S. Geol. Survey. Hamilton, D. K., 1944, Ground water in the bedrock Kentucky law permits the formation of sewage, beneath the glacial outwash in the Louisville area, drainage, and water districts for the purpose of super Kentucky. Prepared by the U. S. Geol. Survey in vising the construction and operation of facilities with cooperation with the Kentucky Dept. of Mines and in area limits specified by charter. Minerals. Kazmann, Raphael G., 1948, River infiltration as a source of ground water supply: Transactions Am. Indiana Law Soc. of Civil Eng., v. 113, p. 404-420. Logan, W. N., 1932, Geological map of Indiana: Indi The Indiana Department of Conservation was em:. ana Dept. of Conservation, Div. of Geol., no. 112. powered in 1951 to declare restricted-use areas where Louisville Chamber of Commerce, 1951, City count it is found that use of ground water is threatening or is down for year, county gains, 1960 area estimate - impairing the supply. The Department may then issue three -quarter million: Louisville, v. 3, no-. 11, or refuse permits to users who wish to use more than p. 29. 100, 000 gpd in excess of their use at the time the area Louisville Water Co., Inc., annual reports, Louis was designated as a restricted area. ville, Kentucky. Maxey, G. B., 1944, Test to determine practicability of Ranr.·.!y water collector on bank of Ohio River at REFERENCES Bells Lane, Louisville, Kentucky. Prepared by the U. S. Geol. Survey in cooperation with the Kentucky Anderson, 0. K., 1951, Local climatological summary Dept. of Mines and Minerals, Geol. Div. and the with comparative data, Louisville, Kentucky: U.S. city of Louisville. Dept. of Commerce, Weather Bur. McFarlan, Arthur C., 1943, Geology of Kentucky: Anonymous, 1945, Conservation of ground water in the Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. Louisville area, Kentucky; Am. Water Works Assoc. McGuinnE}SS, Charles L., 1942, Report on industrial Jour., v. 37, no. 6, p. 543-560. wells in New Albany, Indiana. Manuscript report in Butts, Charles, 1915, Geological map of Jefferson files of U. S. Geol. Survey. County, Kentucky: Kentucky Geol. Survey, Frank Ohio River Valley Sanitation Comm., 1950, Pollution fort, Ky. patterns in the Ohio River. -1915, Geology and mineral resources of Jefferson Perry, Joseph I., Mitchell, Max L., and McGrain, County, Kentucky: Kentucky Geol. Survey, ser. 4, Preston, 1951, Indiana's water resources: Indiana v. 3. Flood Control and Water Resources Comm. Bull. 1. Caye, Woolsey, M., 1939, Ground water-well report. Rorabaugh, M. I., .1946, Ground-water resources of Manuscript report by the Comm. of Sewerage of the southwestern part of the Louisville area, Ken Louisville, Louisville, Ky. tucky. Prepared by the U. S. Geol. Survey in co Comm. of Sewerage of Louisville, 1942, Final report operation with the Rubber Reserve Co., c'ity of of Commissioners of Sewerage of Louisville, 1919- Louisville, and Jefferson County. 42, Louisville, Ky. -, 1948, Ground-water resources of the northeastern Diehl, Robert B., 1943, The diminishing supply and part of the Louisville area, Kentucky. 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